Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen talk.
Max Verstappen was overheard criticising the upgraded Red Bull RB20 in a Hungary Drivers’ Parade chat with Daniel Ricciardo, dropping the bombshell that Red Bull “overdid it” with this package, in his opinion.
Red Bull, who had not secured a victory since the Spanish Grand Prix, aimed to change their fortunes against the progressing McLaren and Mercedes teams by introducing a substantial upgrade package for their RB20 during the Hungarian Grand Prix. Unfortunately, the outcome did not meet Verstappen’s expectations.
Max Verstappen tells Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull ‘overdid it’
McLaren would dominate the Hungarian Grand Prix, Lando Norris taking pole from team-mate Oscar Piastri, before Piastri headed a McLaren one-two in the race. While Verstappen was very much in the pole hunt, McLaren were in control on race day, Verstappen ultimately finishing P5 after tangling with Lewis Hamilton at Turn 1 as they battled for the last podium place.
During the Drivers’ Parade before the race, Verstappen was caught on camera conversing with Ricciardo, who is part of Red Bull’s junior team VCARB. Verstappen informed Ricciardo that although the upgrade may have enhanced RB20’s performance in corners, it has not completely resolved the issues it had.
“Although the corners might have improved, Verstappen informed Ricciardo that the fundamental nature of the car remains unchanged.”
“It exhibits a sluggish response upon entry, both at the rear and in the mid-corner, resulting in understeer.”
In a potentially pivotal moment for Verstappen and Red Bull’s season, the Dutch driver admitted to Ricciardo that they may have gone too far with the RB20 upgrade.
Verstappen admitted, “I believe we went too far with it. The rear is too unstable, and at times I struggle to find a way to fix it.”
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Verstappen expressed his discontent with the RB20 upgrades, suggesting that certain members of the Red Bull team needed a reality check.
“The upgrades have been confirmed to be effective,” stated Red Bull’s senior advisor, Helmut Marko. However, Verstappen emphasized that he would not disclose any specific names involved.
Verstappen, as per Racingnews365, stated that the McLarens are in first and second positions, making them incredibly fast like a bullet.
Finding a good balance is particularly challenging for us, as it is extremely easy to go overboard and consequently lose a significant amount of time.
Despite all the upgrades, it remains inadequate. I am indeed frustrated by this.
I was expecting it to bring more than it has. Although everything is functioning, it seems like we are not making the desired progress, I believe… As I mentioned on Friday, the situation is not ideal.
They are aware that I never make excuses and always maintain a realistic approach. However, it’s possible that not everyone shares the same perspective.
I’m not particularly frustrated by that, but I do believe that certain individuals could benefit from being more aware. Let’s not delve into specifics about their identities.
While Verstappen’s Drivers’ Championship lead over Norris was cut slightly to 76 points, McLaren slashed Red Bull’s Constructors’ Championship buffer to 51 points.
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