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Max Verstappen Aims for a Turnaround After Monza’s Setback
Max Verstappen is optimistic that the recent performance at Monza marks the lowest point of Red Bull Racing’s Formula 1 season, as the team strives to regain momentum with their 2024 vehicle. Following his dominant victory in Bahrain where he finished 22 seconds ahead of his nearest competitor, many expected this year to mirror Red Bull’s previous successes. However, just six‌ months later, the landscape has shifted dramatically. The RB20’s development trajectory appears to have faltered, while rivals like McLaren have made significant strides.
In an interview with Autosport conducted‍ in Singapore, Verstappen shared insights into the challenges faced by Red Bull after an initially strong start. ”Initially, I was taken aback too; however, understanding our issues clarifies everything,” he remarked. “At a certain point, we deviated from our intended path. Other teams either haven’t encountered similar issues or approached car development differently—it’s inherently tricky to assess.” While Verstappen showed impressive pace in Japan and China earlier this season, he noted that pivotal moments occurred during May’s Miami and Imola weekends when he sensed deeper underlying issues within Red Bull much sooner than fans.
The Evolution of Handling Issues
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
“From early on this season,” Verstappen expressed, “I noticed a stark contrast in handling from last year’s model.” He acknowledged that although performance was still favorable early on—likely due to other teams still getting up to speed—the driving experience deteriorated over time: “Eventually our car became quite challenging to maneuver as competitors began making tangible advancements.” He indicated a disconnect between the front and rear sections of their vehicle compared to last year’s model.
During winter presentations at Milton Keynes last year, Verstappen admitted being startled by how different the sketches for RB20 appeared than its predecessor; leading him to question whether changing concepts had been misguided: “It’s tough for outsiders to pinpoint what went wrong,” he stated firmly. “The way it looks externally isn’t really pertinent.”
The Role of Floor Design Challenges
Verstappen’s comments about handling suggest that part of Red Bull’s woes may stem from unforeseen complications associated with their new floor design—a challenge many teams face under current regulations. For example, Mercedes grappled with adjusting their ground-effect cars for two seasons while Ferrari experienced high-speed bouncing after modifying its floor at Barcelona.
A recurring challenge across various teams is correlating data observed during wind tunnel tests against real-world car behavior on track; discovering firsthand that enhanced downforce didn’t necessarily translate into faster lap times—a relevance amplified by Red Bull operating an older wind tunnel as they plan for state-of-the-art facilities going forward.
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport ImagesPaving a Path Forward for Recovery
The primary goal now turns toward ending this uncharacteristic slump while achieving consistent improvements moving ahead according to both media reports and feedback from verstapping himself who noted progress following updates introduced during Baku race weekend despite earlier pitfalls involving setup errors in Azerbaijan limiting comparability post-upgrade.
After struggling through challenging sessions previously Sergio Perez jostled again effectively creating podium contention before encountering misfortune clashing ultimately against Carlos Sainz from Ferrari.
A week afterward though Max managed second place finish qualifying again positively atop tracks historically poor past showing once more vitality seen throughout changes made still needing addressing larger competitive advantages yet overhauling systems overall gives hope restored towards future events lined next around United States Grand Prix occurring Austin later October bringing renewed potential whilst hoping worst times subsided behind us now!
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The post Why Verstappen Believes the Tough Times of F1 2024 Are Behind Him first appeared on News Sports.
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Author : News-Sports
Publish date : 2024-10-06 09:57:00
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