Red Bull revealed “shortcomings” from their wind tunnel contributed to their car problems and hopes that future upgrades will increase Max Verstappen and trust Yuki Tsunody.
Although Verstappen Trails only the leader of the Lando Norris championship, Red Bull was somehow beyond the McLaren pace and required a stunning show from Verstappen to win the third race of the Suzuce season.
Advisor Red Bull Helmut Marko says he has “Great concerns” over the future of VerstappenBecause the Dutchman has a performance provision in his contract that would allow him to leave before his current agreement expires at the end of 2028.
Verstappen finished sixth in the Sunday’s Grand Prix, but was 34 seconds behind the Oscar Piastri race winner, even the IS with a security car in the last 25 rounds.
“I think the problems are understood. The problem is that the solution with what we see in our instruments compared to what we see on the track at the moment,” said Red Bull team director Christian Horner.
“This is what we have to get to the bottom. Why can’t we see what we see on the perimeter? When you end up with such a resistance, you must obviously exclude it.”
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Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda were frustrated after loss of valuable seconds in the lane in Bahrain
Horner also admitted that the Red Bull wind tunnel “does not allow” what he sees on the track, which created “Mishmash” between their simulation tools and tracking data.
Red Bull has a new wind tunnel coming in 2027, but stuck with the current machine for at least two years.
“Then you end up with Mishmash between what your tools tell you and what is the track data,” he added.
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Lewis Hamilton released around Verstappen on the Bahrain Grand Prix
“I think you have to understand where his weakness is. The problem we have is that we are at the end of the regulations where the profits are very, very marginal.
“We see some of the shortcomings in our current tunnel that fights in this area.”
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Verstappen felt that the sixth was a good result after a bad day for Red Bull where “everything went wrong” in the Bahrain GP
Red Bull tries to “calm the car”
Red Bull’s relative fighting began 12 months ago, when the team dominated the opening event of the 2024 season before won only two races in the second half of the season.
Sergio Perez considered it becoming increasingly difficult to cope with the car and lost his place by the end of the year. Liam Lawson performed for 2025, but lasted only two races after he found himself in a fight near the back of the field.
Tsunoda qualified and finished only three races behind Verstappen in Bahrain, but after his first day in Japan in Japan pointed out that the car felt “a little different” than what he experienced in the simulator.
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When painting traditional Daruma, Tsunoda wanted a land and opening a restaurant – but what did Verstappen wanted?
The basic problem of Red Bull is poor tire control compared to McLaren, Mercedes and sometimes Ferrari. This is compounded by the fact that the car does not change the corner, as Verstappen wants, which suits its driving style.
All this means that Verstappen and Tsunoda cannot push the car towards its limit, and if so, the tires wear and lose speed.
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Sky F1’s Ted Kravitz reflects on all the big points of speaking from the Bahrain Grand Prix
“I think it is clear that we understand what the problem is. Implement the solution,” Horner said.
“So it is an input phase to the middle corner that (Verstappen) addresses and gives it the ability and adhesion and confidence that takes speed to enter the corners.
“We just have to taste it and get a big shift of balance. How these cars work with the back or front wings and so on.
Saudi Arab Arabic spelling Sky Sports F1
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Look back on some of the most dramatic moments that took place on the Jeddah Cornich circuit
Thursday 17th April
- 16:00: Driver’s press conference
Friday 18th April
- 10.50: 00: Practice F2
- 12:00: Practice Academy F1
- 14:00: Saudi Arabic practice GP One (session starts at 14:30)
- 15:55: F2 qualification
- 16:40: Team boss’s press conference
- 17:45: Saudi Arab practical practice two (session starts at 18:00)
- 19:25: Qualification of the Academy F1
- 8.10pm: Show F1
Saturday April 19
- 13:15: F1 Academy Race 1
- 14:50: Saudi Arabic practice GP three (session starts at 14:30)*
- 16:10: F2 Sprint
- 17:10: Saudi Arab GP qualification
- 18:00: Qualification of Saudi Arab GP
Sunday 20th April
- 13:00: F1 Academy Race 2
- 2,20pm: Feature Feature Feature Feature
- 16:30: Saudi Arabic practical authority: Sunday Grand Prix
- 18:00: Saudi Arabic Grand Prize*
- 20:00: Saudi Arab GP Reaction: Chessboard
*Live also at the main Sky Sports event
Formula 1 will complete its first triple head from 2025 in Jeddah with the Saudi Arab Grand Prix this weekend, Live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with now – no contract whenever cancel
