Red Bull’s car still 8kg above minimum weight, Ferrari close to minimum limit. Red Bull’s car still 8kg above minimum weight.

German automobile magazine Auto Motor und Sport reported some news about the Honda PU [Red Bull Powertrains], but also about the minimum weight of the RB18 and F1-75 cars, with some concerning information regarding Red Bull’s potential to gain even more lap time this season.

According to AMuS, the Honda power unit hardly shows any signs of wear and the performance remains constant at a high level. However, there was no power increase with the second engine for for Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, as both specifications were the same. But it is clear that Red Bull’s car is now more reliable than Ferrari, as the Honda engine has run like clockwork for 7 races, and still shows hardly any signs of wear. Auto Motor und Sport also believes that the revised floor that Red Bull brought in Baku was a success.

The RB18 is supposed to be about 8kg over the minimum weight, but that also depends on the setup. Ferrari is expected to already be around the minimum, which means that ff that is indeed the case, Red Bull still has about 0.25s in lap time game once they will be able to further reduce the weight. However, the last few kilos are the most expensive to lose (so managing the budget cap would be a challenge for Red Bull).

Auto Motor und Sport also informs that the Red Bull RB18 has a stable rear axle, but understeers too much for Max Verstappen’s liking at low fuel, which affects his qualifying performance. This situation is partly down to the new 18-inch Pirelli tyres, which the F1-75 manages better on the front, but Red Bull is trying to develop the car in the Dutchman’s direction. While Red Bull has a stable rear axle, with understeer, Scuderia Ferrari has a stable front axle, with oversteer. The RB18’s stable rear provides an advantage in terms of race pace, due to the fact that it puts less pressure on the Pirelli tyres.

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