Red Bull received support from their home base in their pursuit of victory at Imola.
Christian Horner credited former Toro Rosso driver Sebastien Buemi for his help in improving Red Bull’s fortunes at Imola, with Max Verstappen taking a narrow victory on Sunday.
The three-time World Champion had struggled in practice compared to the McLaren and Ferrari drivers, but qualified on pole and took victory after significant work went on behind the scenes at Red Bull to help bring the car into an optimal operating window.
Christian Horner: Sebastien Buemi helped Red Bull with Imola turnaround
Additional reporting by Thomas Maher
After his three successful seasons with Toro Rosso, Buemi’s career has thrived in various other series. He achieved great accomplishments by winning the Formula E title and securing four World Endurance Championships with Toyota. Along the way, he also celebrated remarkable victories at Le Mans, claiming the top spot four times.
Throughout his journey, he has stayed loyal to Red Bull, taking on the roles of reserve and simulator driver. During this time, he has always been present at the team’s base, ready to assist in implementing setup changes as they sought solutions after encountering issues during Friday practice sessions.
Verstappen, especially, managed to reverse his luck by securing pole position and comfortably leading the majority of the race. However, in the final stages, Lando Norris significantly narrowed the gap and finished less than a second behind when the chequered flag waved.
Although the victory was achieved by a narrow margin, it was still a win, and Horner expressed gratitude towards those who contributed to its success.
Horner, with a smile on his face, attributed Red Bull’s weekend turnaround in Imola to Sebastien Buemi. He mentioned that they dedicated significant time to adjusting the car’s setup from Friday night to Saturday, ultimately finding a more favorable balance and improving its performance significantly.
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As I mentioned, during 60% of the race, we maintained a comfortable lead of six to eight seconds ahead of the competition.
We began to lose performance during the latter half of our stint on the extremely durable tire.
Never underestimate the support that comes from the broader team in the factory and the simulator drivers, as they played a crucial role in the significant decline in performance.
Giving credit where it’s deserved, the true essence of a team lies in its ability to adapt when faced with adversity. Fortunately, I believe we were successful in turning the situation around.
Had you anticipated this outcome on Friday, all of your analysis would have strongly disagreed, but we successfully reversed the situation and emerged victorious in the race.
Verstappen’s World Championship lead has extended to 48 points after his win at Imola, with Charles Leclerc having moved up to second place in the standings after finishing third on Sunday.
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