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More evidence that Red Bull are not comfortable with their car and their prospects:
1. Max was supposed to take place in a 24 hr endurance race last weekend, the same as he had done in what I believe was the same wee me as the Miami race. He elected to not participate in the virtual race to concentrate on the Spainish GP.
2. Red Bull had Max test their 2 year old car typically reserved for young drivers to try and sort out their current car. More info below:
Max Verstappen’s private ‘clear development’ test catches Ferrari’s eye
- Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur noticed Red Bull's test with Max Verstappen at Imola before the Spanish Grand Prix.
- Red Bull conducted a day of testing with Verstappen using the 2022 RB18 at Imola.
- Regulations allow testing of cars at least two years old with tyres designed by Pirelli for such outings.
- TPC [Testing of Previous Cars] is usually used to give junior drivers experience without affecting official testing time.
- Teams can use TPC for current drivers, but it's unusual mid-season for a championship contender.
- Red Bull's test was not widely publicized, leading some to call it a 'secret' test, though it complied with FIA rules.
- Vasseur suggested the test was "clearly about development," despite TPC rules preventing development work.
“Over the season, I think we will do probably a bit less than 10,” he said, when asked about Ferrari’s plans for TPC over the season.
“But you can’t differentiate on these, there’s TPC that you could do with your racing drivers and these, for me, it’s more development than something else when you do a TPC one week before.”
Making it clear he had no issues with the Red Bull test, Vasseur said: “I’m not complaining about them and they are in the regulations and it’s completely okay – it’s more development than something else.
“It’s not to give mileage to Max between Barcelona and Austria (sic) that, Tuesday, you do nothing but go along to Imola.”
“It’s clearly development and what you could do with the young drivers that this permits another approach, it’s giving them the opportunity to sometimes to do mileage for the simulator and so to develop them – it’s another approach,” he said.
“I think, if we have to police it, we will have to split the two aspects – the day we are doing with our drivers and the days that we are doing with the non-racing drivers.”
Has anything been done to the Red Bull Ring Austrian GP track to prevent the track limit violations? I think there were nearly 50 in qualifying last year. It was pretty ridiculous. I doubt there's been 50 track limit violations all year this year.
Marko making statements again.
Sounds like DR is out and LL in at VCARB in 2025.
"The shareholders have made it clear that it is a junior team and we have to act accordingly," Marko told Kleine Zeitung ahead of the Austrian GP. "The aim was for Ricciardo to qualify for a return to Red Bull Racing with exceptional performances. That seat now belongs to Sergio Perez, so that plan is off the table. We will have to put in a young driver soon," said Marko. The Austrian is clear in who he wants to replace the Australian: "That would be Liam Lawson."
Sure seems like both SP and DR are $hitting the bed for the 2nd seat at Red Bull. Still not sure why they pulled the trigger on a new contract so soon for SP.
Stroll just renewed with Aston Martin. Sainz is running out of options. I think he’s essentially down to Williams or Sauber/Audi. It’s hard to say which of those is the better move for him. Williams is a Mercedes junior team and I think they’ve got a few years before they’re competitive. Sauber is a bit of an unknown as they move towards becoming Audi. With new car and engine regs coming, will Audi be a proper constructor and compete towards the front of the pack? It’s really hard to say but it’s probably unlikely. Is the second Alpine seat an option for Sainz? Mercedes seem like they’re going to put Kimi Antonelli in their car, so Sainz may not have a choice there. I suppose they could put Antonelli in the open Williams seat for a couple of years of development and put Sainz in the Mercedes seat, but that seems like a long shot.
Ocon's seat in the Alpine is open and to be honest, like McLaren and Mercedes, have had the biggest improvement in their respective car's performance. Not too long ago they were the worst team on the grid and now are consistently in the top 10 runners.
Going from Ferrari to Williams or Audi must be like a punch in the gut.
I read somewhere that Mick Schumacher is taking over Ocon’s seat.
Stroll is an obvious impairment to the development of Aston Martin. He provides no useful information. I think daddy should find him a more suitable job like counting tires.
06-26-2024, 07:14 AM
