Red Bull has been the dominant force in Formula 1 since the introduction of the current “ground effect” aerodynamics regulations. However, their path to a third consecutive title with Max Verstappen seemed guaranteed at the start of 2024, but things began to change after eight races this season.
Despite the overall dominance of the car designed by Adrian Newey since 2022, they have shown vulnerability in certain races, especially those with slow corners and bumps. Monaco and Singapore, in particular, exposed some weaknesses in their performance.
Verstappen has struggled to find his rhythm with the RB20 since the Miami race. Although the race itself was not a disaster – he secured pole position and won the Sprint race, followed by pole position and second place in the main race – he continued to deal with handling issues with the car, which became more evident in Imola.
However, the real low point came in Monaco, where Verstappen qualified in sixth place and finished the race in the same position. The highly praised Red Bull suspension failed to deliver the expected performance on the narrow streets of the principality.
Christian Horner, the team principal of Red Bull, acknowledged after the Monaco race that his engineers had a challenging task ahead to identify the root cause of their problems. He also noted that their sister team, VCARB, using the 2019 Red Bull suspension, did not face the same handling issues. Verstappen expressed his frustration, comparing the experience of driving his RB20 to that of a kart.
After dominating the competition in 2023, Verstappen and the RB19, Red Bull presented a significantly evolved car for 2024. They pushed the limits of their design philosophy by incorporating notably cut sidepods, a decision that raised doubts among many critics.
The question that arises is: did they compromise the performance of their car? The answer is a resounding no. However, it seems that the RB20 still has the same characteristics that make it struggle on tracks like Monaco. This year’s race in Singapore will be an intriguing case study to observe.
When examining the statistics, especially in Monaco, the Red Bull cars showed improvement from 2022 to 2023 and now in 2024. In 2022, Verstappen struggled in Monaco, qualifying in fourth place with a lap time of 1:11.666. Leclerc secured pole position with a time of 1:11.376, while Sergio Perez, the eventual race winner, qualified in third with a time of 1:11.629.
In 2023, Verstappen secured pole position with his best lap time of 1:11.365, which was three tenths faster than his effort from the previous year. However, considering the substantial superiority of the RB19 over the RB18, the improvement was not significant. Monaco has always been a challenging track for Red Bull. Fernando Alonso was less than a tenth of a second behind in second place, while Leclerc was over a tenth behind in third, with a time of 1:11.471. Verstappen ultimately emerged victorious.
Looking ahead to Monaco 2024, Verstappen’s presence was notably absent. He qualified in sixth place, and the race was won by Leclerc, who started from pole position. It is worth noting that Verstappen’s qualifying time in 2024, which placed him in sixth, was almost eight tenths of a second faster than his pole time in 2023.
However, Leclerc’s pole time in 2024, a remarkable 1:10.270, surpassed Verstappen’s pole time from the previous year by over a second and was over 1.2 seconds faster than his own third place time in 2023.
The Red Bull car did not slow down, while Ferrari and McLaren experienced a performance increase, as expected, since they had a lot of ground to recover from the previous years of 2022 and 2023. In contrast, Red Bull only made small performance improvements since a strong start under the current regulations.
It is important to note that McLaren was not included in the previous comparison because they were not competitors in Monaco in 2022 and 2023. However, their performance in Imola and Miami shows that they have also reduced the gap with Red Bull.
In simple terms, Red Bull’s development continued to progress, but not at the same rate as Ferrari and McLaren. This supports Horner’s statement about designs converging and gaps closing.
This means that Red Bull will still have an advantage, especially in race conditions, on tracks that historically favor them. However, the difference between them and Ferrari and McLaren has significantly decreased. On the other hand, their weaknesses will be more apparent on tracks that do not favor their RB20 car, as seen in Monaco. Singapore is likely to further confirm this statement.
As for Canada, it will be an interesting race, as the RB20 and Verstappen will have to navigate the curbs, something they may not be eager to do. However, the long straights may mitigate some of the challenges due to Red Bull’s efficient design.
The rest of the season will not be a failure, and Verstappen and Red Bull will have to work hard to defend their championships. The margin for error is now very small.
© 2024
Portuguese:
New world record set by Brazilian athlete
An athlete from Brazil achieved a new world record in an international competition. The feat occurred last week during the world athletics championship, held in a European city. The Brazilian, who had already stood out in other competitions, surpassed all opponents and set a historic mark.
The 25-year-old athlete showed exceptional performance during the race. He demonstrated impressive physical strength and impeccable technique, leaving his competitors behind. With this result, he is established as one of the best athletes in the world in his category.
The achievement of the world record brought great pride to Brazil. The athlete became a true national hero, celebrated by all Brazilians. His image is already featured in various media outlets and he has become an example of dedication and overcoming obstacles for young athletes in the country.
The expectation now is that the athlete will continue to surprise and achieve even more titles and records. His career is on the rise and he has the potential to become one of the greatest athletes in the history of Brazilian sports. Everyone is eager to follow his next challenges and see how far he can go.
This new world record is further proof of the talent and determination of Brazilian athletes. Despite the challenges they face, they continue to push boundaries and show the world the full potential of sports in Brazil. May this achievement inspire other young people to pursue their dreams and believe in their own potential. Brazil has a lot to offer to the world of sports and this historic mark is just the beginning.
