Red Bull now facing main performance issue.
Red Bull Racing has faced an unusual drop in performance throughout the latter half of the 2024 Formula 1 season, experiencing issues primarily related to balance and handling. This has been a surprising development, considering Red Bull’s dominant start to the year with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez delivering consistent top finishes. However, as the season progressed, competitors like Ferrari and Mercedes began closing the gap, partly due to adjustments that have disrupted the performance of Red Bull’s RB20.
One of the main issues lies in the balance between the front and rear sections of the car, which has created instability, particularly in high-speed turns. This “disconnect,” as Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner described it, affects the car’s responsiveness and control. Max Verstappen has noted a considerable increase in understeer, a problem that prevents the car from turning as sharply as desired. This imbalance was significant enough to impact Red Bull’s performance, leading to finishes outside their usual leading positions.
In response, Red Bull brought significant upgrades to the United States Grand Prix in an attempt to regain balance. The update package aimed to recalibrate the RB20’s aerodynamics and handling, resulting in a more synchronized balance between the car’s front and rear sections. The change appeared to provide some positive results, with Verstappen securing a strong sprint race performance, despite still experiencing understeer in the main race. This partial recovery has provided optimism, as the team now seems to be on a clearer path to addressing these technical issues.
Beyond balance, another issue surfaced around braking system adjustments. Early in the season, Red Bull employed a rear cross-brake inertia valve to enhance cornering performance. However, regulatory changes required Red Bull to abandon this system, which some experts argue contributed to the car’s reduced handling efficiency. Though team engineers like Calum Nicholas have downplayed this as the primary factor, the change has certainly added a layer of complexity to Red Bull’s troubleshooting efforts.
While Red Bull has managed to score valuable points in recent races, their dominance has clearly been challenged. Horner and the engineering team are now working intensively to perfect the RB20’s performance for the remaining races. The team remains cautiously optimistic, with Horner suggesting that more upgrades may be in the works, aiming to lock in Red Bull’s competitiveness as the championship battle intensifies.