Mekies reveals hard truth about Red Bull car after Brazil GP
Red Bull Racing Team Principal Laurent Mekies revealed the team’s setup struggles in Brazil were related to a fundamental challenge with the RB21.
“It's a question we have to fight every weekend and we'll try to have it a bit smoother next weekend.”- Laurent Mekies on the RB21
Mekies acknowledged the RB21 has a narrow performance window and that the team has found it difficult to predict which circuits the car will be strong at.
This comes after Max Verstappen was knocked out in Q1 on pure pace at the Brazil GP after a struggle finding a competitive setup.
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Narrow performance window
Speaking after the Brazil GP Mekies said: “I don't think it's a secret that our window is narrow and it's difficult to find that window for a given track layout and for a given set of circumstances and conditions on the track layout.
“And we have been fighting to find it this weekend and eventually we did.
“It does not mean that you start Las Vegas with the magic step in the car. It's a question we have to fight every weekend and we'll try to have it a bit smoother next weekend.
“You know, we have been quite regularly wrong at predicting where tracks would be suiting us or not. We didn't think Monza would be suiting us, we didn't think Baku would be suiting us, we didn't think Singapore would be suiting us, so you know.
“Honestly, it's not where the focus goes because relative to the others it's probably a bit too difficult, but the focus is on ourselves to try to get to the right.”
Red Bull opted to work late into the night adjusting the Dutchman’s setup following his Q1 knockout. Extensive changes made beyond the Parc Ferme curfew meant Verstappen had to start Sunday’s race from the pit lane.
The changes made to Verstappen’s car overnight appeared to transform his performance as he drove from the pit lane to P3.
But Mekies' comments indicate that their setup breakthrough during the Brazil GP weekend will not guarantee the team hits the ground running next time out in Las Vegas.
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