Red Bull Racing had another tough weekend in Italy, with McLaren catching up fast.
The team is now only eight points ahead of McLaren, and Red Bull’s RB20 car is still causing problems.
Christian Horner talked to the media about what’s hurting their performance and praised his team’s hard work to save their championship hopes. Red Bull hasn’t won any of the last six races, and Max Verstappen‘s last victory was in June at the Spanish Grand Prix. Lando Norris is closing in on him, with just 62 points separating them in the driver’s championship.
When asked about the car issues, Horner said: “I think actually really going through the data, there were issues there at the beginning of the year and the characteristic. I think others have obviously made a step. As we’ve pushed the package harder, it’s exposed the issue.” He mentioned that they noticed these problems even last year in some races like Austin. The factory at Milton Keynes is fully focused on fixing this.
Horner is certain the issue is ‘100% balance’
So, what’s causing Red Bull to struggle? “I think 100% it’s balance,” said Horner. “We haven’t got a connection between front and rear. I think Max can’t lean on the rear on the way into the corner, or Checo, and I think you then end up compensating for that.” This leads to understeer and inconsistency during qualifying sessions. On scrub tires, they can match top times, but new tires throw off the balance completely.
‘Crucial’ to find a fix before Baku
There’s a two-week break before the next race in Azerbaijan. Sergio Perez won here last year, but there’s no time for nostalgia. Horner emphasized understanding and fixing the issue as soon as possible. “We’ve now got a two-week period before Baku and Singapore,” he said. This time is crucial for making improvements.
Fans might be wondering if Red Bull can turn things around quickly enough.
What do you think? Can Red Bull fix their problems before it’s too late?
