Red Bull struggled with the setup of the RB21 during the Brazilian Grand Prix. On Friday, the team grappled with grip issues, while Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda were already out in Q1 on Saturday. Team boss Laurent Mekies admitted afterwards that the car’s limited performance window poses challenges for the team.
Red Bull often has a difficult Friday, followed by a strong turnaround on Saturday. According to team boss Laurent Mekies, this is no secret. The Frenchman emphasizes that the so-called performance window – the margin within which the car performs optimally – is very narrow. With the RB21, there is therefore hardly any room for adjustment in the setup. During the São Paulo Grand Prix, the team struggled more than ever. Friday was tough, but Saturday – after the team had taken risks in the setup – it went completely wrong. Both Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda were out in the first part of the qualification. Verstappen stated that the car had “no grip”.
“It’s no secret that our performance window is narrow and it’s difficult to predict at which circuits the car will perform well, under what conditions and with which setups,” Mekies said after the São Paulo Grand Prix. “We had to fight hard this weekend to find the right balance, and in the end, we succeeded.” Mekies stressed that finding that balance does not guarantee success for the next race. “It doesn’t mean that you suddenly have a magical step in the car for Las Vegas. It’s something we have to work on every weekend. We are trying to make the process smoother for the next race.”
Difficult to Predict
Mekies admitted that Red Bull often misjudges which circuits the RB21 will excel at. Ultimately, according to the Frenchman, it’s not about where the car performs well, but how the team can make the car perform. “We didn’t think Monza would suit us, nor Baku or Singapore. It remains difficult to predict. But our focus is not on others; it’s about getting the car as good as possible ourselves.”
