The world champion team, before the qualifying session for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, opted to trim down Max Verstappen’s rear wing in hopes of countering the top speed of Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari. The Dutch driver’s choice proved successful, while Sergio Perez stuck with a more loaded setup that cost Checo nearly 10 km/h against the Monegasque’s SF-23. The Mexican witnessed a spectacular overtake by the Ferrari driver on the final lap: will he regret the technical choice made on Saturday?
Before qualifying, Red Bull diversified the aerodynamic choices on their two RB19 cars: Max Verstappen opted for a sleeker configuration than in free practice, aiming for better top speed, while Sergio Perez stuck to a more conservative solution to ensure good cornering performance.
The Dutch driver decided to take some risks to counter Charles Leclerc’s top speed in the Ferrari, while the Mexican probably lost second place by opting for a slightly less extreme setup.
Verstappen and Perez had started the weekend in Nevada with different choices from those of the Prancing Horse: in Maranello, they had initially gone for the Spa-Francorchamps wings, then switched on Saturday morning to the lighter Monza configuration with a flat main profile, seeking balance for the SF-23 with the double-element beam wing after testing whether one would suffice.
Red Bull, on the other hand, retained the spoon on the main profile for both drivers, diversifying the solutions of the movable flap. Checo kept the one with more cord at the same incidence, while the Dutchman opted for the “trimmed” one, meaning cut at the trailing edge. To ensure the necessary downforce in slow corners, Pierre Waché‘s technicians decided to install a nolder that works only at low speeds and is bypassed by the flow as speeds increase.
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According to official data released by the FIA, Charles Leclerc broke the 350 km/h barrier during the race, reaching a peak of 350.5 km/h with the DRS open and in the slipstream of Sergio Perez’s Red Bull, while the Mexican couldn’t go beyond 340.8 km/h. Those nearly 10 km/h made a significant difference on the last lap when the Ferrari driver launched the decisive attack in the final turn, surprising Checo, who may have left the door too open to Charles Leclerc’s SF-23.
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