The Formula 1 driver, Max Verstappen, has expressed his concern regarding the performance of his Red Bull during the first practice sessions at the Japanese Grand Prix. Despite being one of the favorites, Verstappen has noticed a significant loss of time per lap due to major balance issues with his car.
In the morning session of FP1, Verstappen had to settle for seventh place, with a delay of eight tenths compared to the leader, George Russell, from Mercedes. The Dutch driver pointed out that his RB22 lacked rotation, preventing him from effectively attacking the curves.
After making adjustments to the vehicle’s setup during the afternoon, the expected improvements did not materialize. The driver experienced a switch from understeer to oversteer, making his driving even more difficult, especially in the famous Esses of Suzuka. “The problem is that we never manage to find a balance between the two extremes, which causes us to lose valuable time on track,” Verstappen stated.
Moreover, his teammate, Isack Hadjar, did not have a better day, finishing the session in 15th place, with a difference of three tenths compared to Verstappen. The situation raises questions about Red Bull’s ability to resolve these issues before the race.
Verstappen emphasized the need to work intensively to understand the causes of these discrepancies, admitting that they will not be easy to resolve quickly. “It’s not comparable to the situation we experienced in the China race, but we are far from what we need in sector one. The medium and fast corners are a major area for improvement for us,” he concluded.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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