After qualifying fifth for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Max Verstappen struck a cautious tone about Red Bull’s prospects for the race, citing persistent issues with the RB20’s setup and a questionable rear wing choice.
A Challenging Qualifying Session
Despite outqualifying his championship rival Lando Norris, Verstappen was unable to come close to the front row, finishing nearly half a second behind pole-sitter George Russell. The Dutchman pointed to the RB20’s struggles with the wrong-spec rear wing as a key factor in the team’s underperformance.
“I think tomorrow the wing hopefully will be a little bit more normal because you don’t use DRS every lap. It’s a bit of a question mark how the tires are going to behave. At least for my side, both of my long runs were not particularly great. We’ll see tomorrow,” Verstappen said.
Red Bull’s Rear Wing Woes
The wrong rear wing configuration has plagued Red Bull throughout the Las Vegas weekend, limiting their straight-line speed on the Strip Circuit’s long straights. While Verstappen managed to qualify fifth, teammate Sergio Perez was eliminated in Q1, marking his sixth early exit this season.
Perez echoed Verstappen’s concerns, pointing to a “fundamental issue” with the car:
“I think we’ve got a fundamental issue at the moment with the car that is just not working for me. We come to the weekends and we just explore a lot of things – it’s just a difficult one to make it work.”
A Title on the Line
Despite the RB20’s struggles, Verstappen remains well-placed to clinch the 2024 Drivers’ Championship. A finish in his current fifth position or better would secure his fourth consecutive title, regardless of where Lando Norris finishes.
“The wing issues will hopefully be less of a problem tomorrow since DRS isn’t used every lap, but we’ll need to manage tires carefully,” Verstappen noted.
Red Bull’s Constructors’ Title Hopes Dim
With Ferrari and McLaren showing strong pace, Red Bull’s chances of making meaningful inroads in the Constructors’ Championship are dwindling. While Verstappen is expected to fight for a top-five finish, Perez’s struggles leave the team vulnerable to losing further ground.
Race Day Strategy
Verstappen acknowledged that his focus would be on tire management and minimizing mistakes as he navigates the 50-lap race. However, he tempered expectations, admitting Red Bull’s car setup likely won’t allow him to challenge for victory.
The Las Vegas GP promises to be a tough test for Verstappen and Red Bull, as they aim to salvage points while grappling with technical setbacks. All eyes will be on the Dutchman to see if he can secure his fourth title in a season finale full of surprises.
