Red Bull works to correct misleading simulator data amid McLaren and Ferrari close battle

Red Bull is no longer dominant in Formula 1. The comfort zone is gone. For this reason, they have to work really hard to win, and in some circumstances, they don’t even succeed. This is the competitive context we have observed in the latest rounds of the 2024 Formula 1 racing campaign. Max Verstappen says he’s not worried and that what we are seeing are just “simple” lapses. Without a doubt, this could be true. After all, despite the problems, Max Verstappen’s RB20 is still a super competitive car that performs very well.

This is also thanks to the talent of its driver. The Dutchman now has a lot of experience in Formula 1, almost a decade in the top category of motorsport, despite being only 26 years old. This know-how allows him, besides excelling in handling, to often find driving solutions when his car isn’t at its best, is acting up, or isn’t going where he wants. The example is Monte Carlo. He himself described the Red Bull as a kind of kart, because in terms of suspension, the blue racing car struggled to tackle the curbs and couldn’t exploit every square inch of the track.

In Monaco, the center of pressure of the current Formula 1 cars shifts to the rear, an aspect that Red Bull struggles with. We have reiterated this several times: the front end weakens, the balance isn’t precise, and the match of Pirelli tire operating temperatures between the two axles doesn’t occur. On the contrary, Ferrari is comfortable in this situation. By putting more load on the rear, the SF-24’s rear end stabilizes and the front end doesn’t lose balance like the RB20’s. At this moment, even McLaren is capable of beating the reigning world champions. They did it in Miami, and they came very close in Imola.

Paul Monaghan, Red Bull’s chief track engineer, in a chat with the media in the Monaco pit lane, in front of the team’s garage, confided that several updates are coming. This isn’t merely a reaction to the value of the other teams, but the result of months of planned work. Without a doubt, these updates will significantly help the Austrian cars, and knowing the reactive capacity of the Milton Keynes technicians, we can expect important results. Measures that aim to reestablish a safety gap, even if smaller, to keep the their opponents, Ferrari and McLaren, at bay.

F1, Red Bull concerned about misleading hypothetical field

Helmut Marko, the head of Red Bull’s driver development programme and an advisor to the Red Bull Racing F1 team, says a lot of things; it’s his habit. He doesn’t like staying away from the microphones. On some occasions, he gets carried away by pride, while on others, he seems more reasonable. We will remember his comments about the recent update on the RB20’s floor. A modification that, according to him, was supposed to change things and from which much was expected. In the end, it doesn’t seem that the expectations were met. Furthermore, there’s another issue: the simulator. The driver-in-the-loop software reproduces reality through a lot of inserted information.

Show your support for Scuderia Ferrari with official merchandise collection! Click here to enter the F1 online Store and shop securely! And also get your F1 tickets for every race with VIP hospitality and unparalleled insider access. Click here for the best offers to support Charles and Carlos from the track!

A hypothetical field that tries to simulate what happens on the racing track. If the correlation doesn’t work, problems arise, as has been the case for Mercedes in the last few years. The lively old man talks about it and admits the issue for the Austrian side. This is because something isn’t working properly in studying the different setup options on the drawing board, which are then chosen at the track to face the rest of the race weekend until the final tuning. This aspect is causing difficulties for Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, as well as for the Red Bull technicians, and engineers. It’s a thorny issue the team is working on these days.

According to information reported by various news media outlets in Monaco, the championship-leading team is trying to correct this imperfect scenario that has “misled” the work group on several occasions in the last few races. In Formula 1, every tiny detail makes a difference, and when such a context isn’t under control, problems can spread widely. Therefore, there’s some concern within the Austrian team, also in relation to the imminent upgrades, which, like the setup issues, could be affected in their assessment regarding proper validation on the track.

We can’t talk about a real alarm. However, a certain unease has been occupying the minds of Red Bull engineers for some time. A contrast between reality and the simulated field that is currently under study, because when optimizing the Formula 1 car becomes a problem, and in some cases like Miami, Imola, and Monaco, it doesn’t work 100%, then the rivals, who are now very close, can even beat you. Moreover, the pressure increases, and driver errors are a normal consequence, just as happened to Max Verstappen in the final stages of the complicated qualifying session for the Monaco Grand Prix on the streets of Monte Carlo.

In this regard, a strong response is expected next week at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in the Canadian Grand Prix. A track that once again could seriously challenge Red Bull. The historic 81-year-old advisor from Austria reveals this, echoing his worried statements made approaching the Grand Prix on the streets of the Principality. There is optimism about solving the problems, because the team’s extensive experience should make a difference. We just have to wait to see if the problems will continue to trouble or will finally be resolved.