2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Baku, Sep 24 - 26

[Badger]

They, RBPT, appear to be evolving their own interpretation of most effective deployment "landscape" in running this PU.

As other teams are realising, there's different focus that's been forced by these rules now in place for production of most effective method and resources.

It's pretty boring watching algorithm in performance sport, but essential if they are to succeed under this rule set.

Genuinely dont think that addresses the elephant in the room.

What about Red Bull having their best performance of the season at the calendars most power sensitive track?

The tied next Venue for power sensitivity is Canada, where Max finished 3rd despite having "car degradation" (Mekies and Max's words) due to the bouncing and Max disagreeing with the team on set up direction but taking the teams choice to show it didnt work in the race.
3rd at Monza too which has high demand for power sensitivity and carrying a rear axle issue which made the car lack low speed compliance(Max's words).

4 podiums at 3 power sensitive tracks despite 2 of those races carrying chassis related issues.

RBPT "evolving their own interpretation of most effective deployment" has no relevance.
Because RBPT are the only entity that should be interpreting their deployment.
It's their engine after all.

And teams being forced by the rules to find the most effective method and resource is an F1 constant, not a 2026 variable. I unfortunately do not see how this explains outlying results for Red Bull at power sensitive tracks.

The elephant in the room is that Mercedes has been the class of the field on all those power dependent circuits, and Baku was no different.

RB's most competitive tracks outside of Baku have been Austria and Monaco. The common denominator is slow speed corners and major upgrades, not power.

[Quantum]

The elephant in the room is that Mercedes has been the class of the field on all those power dependent circuits, and Baku was no different.
https://i.postimg.cc/25QH6WCv/speed(9).png
RB's most competitive tracks outside of Baku have been Austria and Monaco. The common denominator is slow speed corners and major upgrades, not power.

And yet Red Bull had the fastest lap times post safety car. And were repeatedly slower that McLaren and Russell in sector 2.
The overlay for one lap for Red Bull's number 2 driver kinda hides that right? As does the conflating the ICE for the PU.

Also, Red Bull finished 25 seconds behind Mercedes at Monaco.
And Austria is in the top 5 power sensitive tracks in F1 with 73.5% of the lap at full throttle, outlingng my point of how RB perform way better at power sensitive tracks.

[AR3-GP]

And yet Red Bull had the fastest lap times post safety car.

Russell had the fastest lap of the race on lap 49 and 3 of the top 5 fastest laps of the race post safetycar, without any tow and without any overtake mode that Verstappen had.

[AR3-GP]

Also, Red Bull finished 25 seconds behind Mercedes at Monaco.

Verstappen retired on lap 1. He qualified within a tenth of pole.