2024 Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team

[Paa]

We were also "told" that this engine cover had more drag....I told you guys that story was nonsense PR designed to make things look less bad in the middle of the season...There was nothing wrong with this engine cover on the RB18 and the RB19. Then from Hungary onwards we're told "it makes a significant difference to drag". lol. There's a bridge right this way... We'll never see those shoulder cannons ever again.

I think the accurate story was not that the new one is particularly draggy, but rather the cannons could somehow shave drag by interacting with the rear of the car. That part can be true, while the new engine cover still being a better compromise overall. Or maybe the drag shedding magic did not work out in practice as much as they predicted. Probably it had something to do with all the different in and outlet cooling openings.

But you are right in that they are seemingly converging fully into the new version, which suggest they will take that direction into next year as well.

[Sieper]

I agree. I think they tried to become “less crosswind” sensitive with those cannons. At least, that was a big talking point. Guidimg are save from side winds. I didn’t really work, as at Mercedes, and Likely they are gone now never to reappear.

[organic]

Verstappen lost pole position, he just confirmed. 1 spot, that's apparently possible too.

So Russell gets pole, Verstappen starts second

[TNTHead]

Verstappen lost pole position, he just confirmed. 1 spot, that's apparently possible too.

So Russell gets pole, Verstappen starts second

Why one position, track limits?

[organic]

Verstappen lost pole position, he just confirmed. 1 spot, that's apparently possible too.

So Russell gets pole, Verstappen starts second

https://twitter.com/ErikvHaren/status/1 ... 0124684511

Why one position, track limits?

He saw the stewards for "driving unnecessarily slowly"

[langedweil]

https://twitter.com/ErikvHaren/status/1 ... 0124684511

Why one position, track limits?

He saw the stewards for "driving unnecessarily slowly"

Or Rus drove unnecessarily quick ..
Supersilly decision

[Sieper]

Hi, George here, I want the pole. Ok. Here. You don’t actually need to be fastest. Just go see the doctor.

I cannot really believe this (another word with the same letters).

[Paa]

Verstappen lost pole position, he just confirmed. 1 spot, that's apparently possible too.

So Russell gets pole, Verstappen starts second

It is official now.
https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files ... lowly.pdf

[Rikhart]

Verstappen lost pole position, he just confirmed. 1 spot, that's apparently possible too.

So Russell gets pole, Verstappen starts second

Just remind me again, what penalty did they serve in Brazil for several people just deciding to run off under yellow flags, with marshalls on the track, etc?

Oh, nothing... This is getting absolutely ridiculous at this point.

[organic]

The document hardly seems to explain the reason well

This is a brand new precedent. Let me guess.. They'll never give another grid penalty for this

[Paa]

The worst about the -1 grid drop is that now Max will start from the dirty side. Most drivers lost position from there on the sprint start so it can lead to being dropped to third, while he could comfortably keep the position from the pole.

[Sieper]

They even gave a penalty point. 6 now.

[Paa]

And the good thing is that Max usually makes wonders when they piss him, the day before.
Maybe this is just the extra motivation he needed.

[Juzh]

And the good thing is that Max usually makes wonders when they piss him, the day before.
Maybe this is just the extra motivation he needed.

Nah, russell will be too fast, even without the penalty. podium is the goal.

[f1isgood]

Okay, on a serious note, I am really surprised by what the team cooked in the last few hours. This amount of performance shift is insane.

I was lulled into thinking like this after the Q in spa, where Max was on pole by an insane margin (0.5+ s, iirc). That too was a case of terrible FP setup, then some homework and revamping of the car before Q. Helmut Marko even said the changes were for race pace. Then we saw what happened in the race, it was terrible.
On the evidence of that, I would take this pole with a pinch of salt, and will believe that Redbull fixed their car, only on race pace data.

Btw, Christian Horner mentioned that they fixed the car for T1, T4 and T16 , but the fastest lap data shows that T16 is still not great, in comparison with the other three teams - Max is slower 8-12kph through the corner - the most important corner of the race, leading into the straight, which is the only overtaking place here.

As the wonderful chart above this post shows, T14 and T15 are super critical for Max, if he has to absorb the losses from T16 and not lose much through the straight.

Actually the race was quite okay in Spa. The car would have won without the grid penalty there. In fact I'd argue Merc/RB/McL could have all won the race. Max did the best he could and focused on what was important for the title though.

I was expecting something similar to Spa but the FIA's new decision might screw it up tomorrow. Hope Max sends it tomorrow and is leading after T1.