Max Verstappen expressed his dissatisfaction with his Red Bull RB20 during Monaco qualifying.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is looking to solve the team’s ride issues with its next upgrades, after both drivers complained of its performance over the kerbs in Monaco.
Max Verstappen, specifically, compared his RB20 to a ‘go-kart’ due to the way his suspension felt throughout the weekend. Despite this, the reigning World Champion finished in sixth place, while Sergio Perez was eliminated in Q1 following his first-lap collision with Kevin Magnussen.
Christian Horner asks two key questions for next Red Bull upgrades
Additional reporting by Sam Cooper
Red Bull still lead both World Championship standings by healthy margins after the Monaco Grand Prix, but have seen their advantage at the front of the field eaten into as Horner explained the team have hit the “law of diminishing returns” with the current set of regulations, whilst others are still finding time.
However, concerning the approach to upgrading the RB20, Horner is optimistic that the team can effectively tackle the immediate concerns voiced by their drivers during the weekend.
“When asked about the team’s next steps regarding upgrades, Horner stated that he believes it to be an ongoing process.”
Naturally, you have an interest in the law of diminishing returns. Additionally, your priorities shift based on the nature of your challenges.
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“So, it seems that there will be a significant amount of attention shifted towards understanding the reasons behind our recent ride issues and the car’s difficulties with the kerbs.”
“The VCARB car is currently equipped with the suspension used in our previous model, and it does not appear to be experiencing the same problems. Therefore, we need to determine whether the issues have been caused by any changes we have made.”
With Red Bull’s rivals McLaren and Ferrari having introduced large rafts of upgrades in one go over the season so far, Horner explained that any new parts on the RB20 have had to ‘earn’ their place, given the performance it holds.
Therefore, the team hesitates to implement substantial upgrade packages.
“Compared to our rivals, I believe Red Bull takes a more iterative approach,” Horner commented.
“So, naturally, we have purchased various items sporadically, and true to their claims, they have delivered as promised.”
However, as you approach the peak of the curve, you begin to experience the law of diminishing returns, meaning that the amount of development that truly contributes to the car’s performance diminishes. Moreover, due to the implementation of the cost cap, careful consideration is required before introducing any upgrades.
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