McLaren team boss Andrea Stella duly noted Red Bull’s struggles last weekend in Monaco but suggests that its car’s weakness on the Principality’s bumps and kerbs might have painted an incomplete picture.
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen qualified a lowly P6 in the Monte Carlo and concluded his afternoon in the same position while teammate Sergio Perez, after his dismal performance on Saturday, was never a factor on race day following his dramatic opening lap crash.
Verstappen was critical all weekend of his RB20’s instability and compliance over the tight and twisty street circuit’s bumps where Ferrari and McLaren both significantly outperformed their frontrunning rival.
But Stella believes that McLaren's progress relative to Red Bull is due to genuine improvements in downforce on their car, not just exploiting the bulls’ shortcomings.
“I think the picture of competitiveness for Red Bull is not entirely clear to me,” explained the Italian, quoted by Motorsport Week.
“Clearly, Imola and Monaco are two tracks in which riding kerbs and riding bumps is important for performance. To some extent in Miami as well, but not that much.
“So I think, for instance, our progress, I don’t think is just because we are more competitive on these kinds of characteristics.
“I think that’s more genuine— it’s just we have added good downforce onto the car.
“If anything, our two drivers are not happy with the behaviour on kerbs and bumps, here in Monaco, that’s potentially the main limitation we still face.”
Over at Red Bull, Helmut Marko was also somewhat mystified by the Milton Keynes-based outfit’s display in Monaco, but for different reasons: simulation work conducted ahead of the race weekend had offered no indication of the RB20’s impending troubles.
“Our two drivers came to Monte Carlo enthusiastic and said that the car was great over the kerbs,” he told Austria’s OE24. “But as soon as they were in the car, they said: Undriveable!”
Marko also suggested that McLaren’s progress this season is partly down to the Woking-based outfit’s designers taking their cue from last year’s dominant Red Bull RB19.
“We are now in our third year with the current regulations, and people are copying,” he said.
“Some copy better, and you can now see the result at McLaren. Ferrari has also constantly developed further.”
In conclusion, McLaren’s Stella believes it will take “a few more races” to get more clarity on Red Bull’s competitive situation relative to its opponents.
“Exactly what is going on with Red Bull? I’m not so sure,” Stella said.
“I think we need a few more races to find out because obviously, we go [to the] next one to Canada, which is another one very demanding on kerbs and bumps.
“Then I think some tracks after Canada will tell us more about the competitiveness situation.”
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