Russia was 3 races ago now and Red Bull had an engine that was 60hp down on a circuit that requires top end speed because of long straights with high speed corners. In China which is a circuit with slow and mid speed corners and straights, the Red Bull was only 0.6sec down on the Mercedes with an engine 60hp down.iotar__ wrote:Two races ago in Russia Red Bull's "best chassis" was 1,7 s behind Mercedes, explain that please and no, drivers didn't gain speed and talent in the meantime, it's called quicker car and less competition. Perhaps this popular chassis championship is a rather pointless exercise and others factors exist (tyres for example).carisi2k wrote:The difference between 2015 and 2016 is that the 2016 Renault/Tag Heuer is not running at a 100hp deficit to anything with a Mercedes or Ferrari engine anymore and so even if a Williams or Force India somehow manage to get in front of a Red Bull. The RB12's superior slow speed performance, especially out of slow corners should see it able to use the DRS along the straights and then stay ahead.
In Barcelona the Red Bull was just under 7/10ths slower then pole with an engine 60 hp down. In Monaco with an engine people have been saying is 20-30hp down the Red Bull was on pole by 0.1 of a second. In Canada, Red Bull will again have a car that is only 20-30hp down on a circuit that has slow speed corners and straights.
I honestly think it will be a really close race at Canada between Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull with Mercedes to be at the top. But don't be expecting a 1.7 second gap between Mercedes and Red Bull like what occurred in Russia. If the engine upgrades and Ferrari's new nose works then expect a small half a second gap (maybe slightly more) covering pole to 5th or 6th place if Kimi can pull his finger out.