George Russell, driving for Mercedes, is currently leading the race ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and his teammate Lewis Hamilton, also from Mercedes.
Struggling on the kerbs in Monaco after their simulator and what they saw on-track didn’t correlate, Christijan Albers joked Red Bull “are in Mercedes’ slipstream”.
In this year’s championship, numerous teams have encountered correlation problems, with Mercedes being the most notable. They experienced difficulties in reproducing the downforce and lap time achieved in the factory, leading to a lack of success on the track.
‘Red Bull are in Mercedes’ slipstream’
Now Red Bull also appear to have a problem.
“The problem starts in the simulator, which signalled that the car was going well over the kerbs,” the team’s motorsport advisor Helmut Marko told Speedweek. “Put simply, this means that the simulator and reality do not correlate.”
With Red Bull’s RB20 baring more of a resemblance to yesteryear’s Mercedes than it does the 2023 all-conquering RB19, former F1 driver Albers told on De Telegraaf podcast: “They are in Mercedes’ slipstream! They never know where it comes from.”
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Red Bull’s kerb issues could hurt them in Canada
Albers believes that McLaren and Ferrari’s recent in-season upgrades have narrowed the gap on Red Bull, and they are currently engaged in a fierce development battle.
If Red Bull doesn’t address their stiff suspension issue in their upcoming package, it could potentially have negative consequences for them, especially in comparison to McLaren rather than Ferrari.
He mentioned that although the McLaren bears resemblance to the Red Bull, the two cars are mechanically distinct. The McLaren and Ferrari are capable of surmounting the kerbs forcefully, whereas the Red Bull lacks this ability.
Red Bull probably didn’t anticipate this turn of events.
“The focus has shifted to timing now. The release of the next upgrades by the teams will also be a determining factor.”
“I think Ferrari might not emerge as the winner in Canada considering their usual lack of top speed. Canada’s race involves a significant emphasis on top speed, which is an area where Ferrari often falls short.”
“Afterwards, a thrilling contest between Red Bull and McLaren ensues, with McLaren expertly maneuvering over the kerbs. Canada boasts four challenging chicanes, all of which are elevated, demanding the drivers to skillfully navigate those kerbs as well.”
Red Bull is heading to Montreal with a record of three losses out of the eight races held this year, which is a significant increase compared to the previous year where they had only lost one out of 22 races.
With Max Verstappen at the helm, the team continues to hold the top spot in the championships. Verstappen leads the Drivers’ standings with a solid score of 169, while Charles Leclerc, the victorious driver at the Monaco GP, trails behind with 138 points. In the teams’ championship, Red Bull maintains a comfortable lead of 24 points over Ferrari.
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