2025 Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team

[Paa]

I don't have access to data to back this up, but my impression with qualy was that as the cloud cover increased during the session, the gap to mclaren reduced (and also the track got faster).

I'm not just talking about Max, but more like the entire field vs McLaren.
Maybe MyLaren's level could have been reached at low 30°C (and beating track record).

This just further strengthens the impressions that McLAren has a serious advantage in the hot.
I think this effect is stronger than flexiwing etc. It is entirely possible that McLaren lost like a tenth or so on flexiwings, and it will show when it is colder.
But as long as it is hot, they are unbeatable. Much will depend on RedBull's next update (supposedly) aiming for this.
If McLaren have similar advantage in colder Canada, then it's game over.

[Wouter]

Fact that Tsunoda struggles so hard here Might give some hope that other places will suit better.

Also, the latest spec he completely wrote a car off at Imola he has no one to blame for that but himself.
so Spares are always tight under budget cap.

.
That was exactly what Yuki said yesterday: "I can only blame myself for that (no updates from Imola and new floor) because I crasht".

[Sieper]

Yes, but it was being used here. Without yuki’s consent.

[HPD]

Yuki: "I don't think it's the set-up, because to be honest, we tried almost every set-up.

“There's obviously some preference here and there, but I think I'm still convinced that we're able to at least put it all together in terms of the car balance. And like I said, the car balance itself is not bad, and at least also my confidence was there.

“The lap in qualifying in both [sets of] tyres, especially the last push, was pretty good, so it doesn't really stack up with my results and with the pace that I'm having."

“Even in the long runs [this weekend] was a good example. Whatever I do, nothing happens and it feels like this car is eating the tyres like hell, having degradation massively.

“It doesn't really stack up and I think the core limitation is still there. I don't know what it is and I can't really have any answer for that."

Pierre Waché: "To be honest, we tried something completely different with Yuki, with a big rear wing to see how it performed in qualifying - which was a mistake on our part."

Max: “yuki is not a pancake. this (with the second driver) has of course been going on for a long time. maybe that is also a sign. of what? you can fill that in yourself.”

[Sevach]

The forecast for tomorrow is cloud cover. That should reduce the track temperature. If not, then it will be similar to Miami.

That would be sensational. Front graining to determine the tyre degradation please and we could win

Weve seen in the past between Verstappen and McLaren that a 3 tenths gap in qualifying doesn't mean the race is a foregone conclusion (Barcelona '24, Austria '24)

Even if McLaren seems unassailable now, I still believe in a title fight

Red Bull performance vs Mclaren is so up and down at the moment, destruction at Miami, complete turnaround at Imola, meh at Monaco...
I did expect the Monaco one, but Barcelona i expected better.
Well the race is tommorow, but can't say i expect much.

[f1isgood]

The forecast for tomorrow is cloud cover. That should reduce the track temperature. If not, then it will be similar to Miami.

That would be sensational. Front graining to determine the tyre degradation please and we could win

Weve seen in the past between Verstappen and McLaren that a 3 tenths gap in qualifying doesn't mean the race is a foregone conclusion (Barcelona '24, Austria '24)

Even if McLaren seems unassailable now, I still believe in a title fight

Red Bull performance vs Mclaren is so up and down at the moment, destruction at Miami, complete turnaround at Imola, meh at Monaco...
I did expect the Monaco one, but Barcelona i expected better.
Well the race is tommorow, but can't say i expect much.

To be fair to Red Bull, at least unlike early season it's clear they are the second best car at most tracks.

Barcelona McLaren's have gone with a smaller rear wing which will be interesting to see in the race. It will make them hard to pass so only hope is T1.

But you make a good point in the sense that, to fight for a title, you need a car that's at least capable of winning say 75 percent of the season and need a driver that can say win it for you at least 80 percent of the times. Verstappen is doing too much heavy-lifting so far and that is simply unsustainable over 24 races.

[AR3-GP]

Rare to see Red Bull setting a purple 3rd sector.

[Sieper]

If we do have the pace that might be a very good thing.

[Paa]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GsSaEcAWkAA ... =4096x4096

Rare to see Red Bull setting a purple 3rd sector.

It is also interesting vs the anticipation.(this is not a dig against the certain post, or poster, more like a funfact)



I hope the good S3 translates to competitive race pace.
But even if race pace is on par with McLaren, it would be difficult to win from P3, against two McLarens. And anything else will just further increase the point gap.

[AR3-GP]

If we do have the pace that might be a very good thing.

Being quick in S3 also sets up well for overtaking.

[Paa]

I asked chatGPT, to estimate temps for the remaining races. Eyeballing it, looks kind of realistic.
Based on this table, there is not much hope for Max, unless Red Bull can really close the gap with their brake duct design, in Canada.

[AR3-GP]

Rear tire temperatures:

Stella:

“Yes, I was a little surprised that we had such a clear advantage, as I’d expected Red Bull to be a little closer based on some of the similar circuit characteristics we found at those tracks.

"But in hindsight I think the very high temperatures associated with the rear axle - and that’s where our car performs very well. One characteristic of Spain is that the corners are very long - unlike Imola, where they are short. -Stella

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/mark ... -red-bull/

[avantman]

Looking at some overlays post quali it appears that the new TD has hampered red bull the most amongst the top teams. Great to know it made their setup work easier but what about pace and pecking order? Mercedes was quicker over one lap. Antonnelli was 2 tenths faster than Russell in a couple of places and Toto wasn't too delighted speaking to media post quali he said there was more in the car, Russell’s Lap was scrappy.
Leclerc had only one lap in Q3, which he set much earlier on a slower track which was 2.5degree hotter, but was right up there with Max matching him everywhere up until the penultimate corner. He either made a little mistake or tire overheated. Anyway, if he had an optimal Q3 he would’ve been right there around P3, probably a tenth behind, but much closer
than previously on tracks of similar layout.
The confidence of both Ferrari drivers post quali is also quite telling. Both are aiming at the podium meaning they think their Ferrari is faster than Max and kinder on tires.

[organic]

Rear tire temperatures:

Stella:

“Yes, I was a little surprised that we had such a clear advantage, as I’d expected Red Bull to be a little closer based on some of the similar circuit characteristics we found at those tracks.

"But in hindsight I think the very high temperatures associated with the rear axle - and that’s where our car performs very well. One characteristic of Spain is that the corners are very long - unlike Imola, where they are short. -Stella

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/mark ... -red-bull/

Yeah adds up. According to Rodolfo it's due to be one of the warmest Spanish GP in a while, which isn't ideal

[avantman]

I just took another look on Max/Lando Max/Oscar overlays from Q3 in Japan. Track temperature was much lower just at 29oC, but the overall picture looks very similar to Spain. Max is either on par or better in low speed(than the faster Mclaren driver in particular corner). Biggest Mclaren advantage comes from 150-200kph corners just like in Spain. At the same time both Mclaren are faster down the straights when not using the DRS and had higher top speed (without DRS) on the back straight. All points at the superiority of their aerodynamic package. Yes, they might have a trick or two up their sleeves with regards to rear brake temperature, but that's not the reason behind their superiority on classic aero dependent race tracks.
Their main underlying advantage behind their pace, especially behind their race pace is base aerodynamic superiority. They simply have more downforce in the crucial speed range for the same drag.

This time, probably for the first time all year, at least one of their drivers had a truly decent Q3 session, having both clean mistake free runs, improving significantly on improving track and not make any mistakes whatsoever on a pole lap. That's why we got that gap, second largest only behind Australia. If that was the case in Japan, they would be same 3 tenths up easily, at least 3 tenths up.