The Formula 1 team based in Milton Keynes, Red Bull Racing, made a bold strategic choice by reducing the aerodynamic load on its RB21 car, opting for a low-downforce setup. This risky decision paid off handsomely as their star driver, Max Verstappen, once again produced a world-class performance to claim pole position. In Sunday’s race, having superior straight-line speed could prove crucial, especially when it comes to defending against rivals in DRS (Drag Reduction System) trains. Meanwhile, within the McLaren team, attention is less on Max Verstappen and more on the fierce internal battle between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
When the going gets tough, Max Verstappen steps up and delivers. The technical equilibrium among the top teams observed during the third and final free practice session was confirmed in qualifying as well. With such closely matched machinery, the drivers became the key factor in determining the final order. A similar scenario unfolded earlier this season at the Suzuka circuit in Japan, a track that shares several characteristics with Silverstone. There too, Red Bull Racing and Max Verstappen had started the weekend with a car that was difficult to handle due to pronounced understeer. But just like in Japan, when it mattered most, the balance of the car became perfect and Verstappen found his rhythm.
“We knew that if we could eliminate the understeer, we would be among the front-runners,” explained Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko. “Step by step, the car’s balance improved. After the first run in Q3, we made a small tweak, and then came the Max factor—an incredible lap, once again flawless.” It is a dynamic that often seems magical. Red Bull Racing is not afraid to make bold technical decisions—like today, when they opted for an extremely low downforce configuration—but it is Max Verstappen who adds the final, decisive touch.
“We managed to improve the car significantly,” confirmed Max Verstappen. “We removed almost all the understeer that we had on Friday, and that allowed me to push much harder. Understeer in Formula 1 is a major issue—you have to work hard to minimise it, and that’s exactly what we achieved.”
Max Verstappen makes everything look easy, but once again his lap was absolutely perfect. Of course, his performances also depend on the team’s hard work and technical excellence, but without Verstappen behind the wheel, such results would not be possible. When it mattered most—in the final run of Q3—he improved his time by four-tenths of a second, setting the fastest sectors in both the first and second portions of the lap.
“It wasn’t exactly easy,” Max Verstappen explained. “The wind made it particularly tricky. The car was moving around a lot on the straights, sometimes it felt a bit unpredictable, but luckily in that final lap everything came together. I had to really commit in the high-speed sections because of our low-downforce setup, but in the end, it worked.”
Looking ahead to the British Grand Prix, there are two possible scenarios. If the track remains dry, the Red Bull Racing camp is very optimistic. “Max performed very well during Friday’s long runs,” added Helmut Marko, “and if the temperatures stay as low as they were in qualifying, we’ll head into the race with a lot of confidence. If Max manages to hold the lead at the start, I believe we can control the situation well.”
Red Bull Racing has chosen to prioritise straight-line speed to protect itself from the likely attacks from rivals using the DRS. At the same time, the team sought the minimum aerodynamic balance necessary to avoid compromising the car’s rear-end stability, which is essential for tyre management during the race. “We’ll see what the weather does,” Max Verstappen concluded. “Straight-line speed is always a good bonus, but managing the tyres will still be a challenge—it’s not going to be easy.”
At McLaren, all focus is on the internal battle rather than on Max Verstappen
However, if the race were to start under rainy conditions, challenges would inevitably arise for Max Verstappen, and the race could become significantly more complicated for him. McLaren is well aware of this potential. But when Lando Norris, who was sitting next to Verstappen during the post-qualifying press conference, was asked what he expected in case of rain, the British driver deflected the idea that he would benefit the most from a wet race. “Rain might actually help Ferrari,” said Lando Norris, noting that the Scuderia boasts the highest aerodynamic downforce among the cars at the front of the grid. “But I wouldn’t rule out Mercedes either.”
The “papaya duo” of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri did not show much disappointment over missing out on pole position. It is clear that they have entered a phase of the season where individual success is increasingly measured by beating one’s teammate. In this context, the first mini-verdict of the weekend went to Oscar Piastri, who unexpectedly emerged ahead of Lando Norris after appearing to lag behind during free practice sessions. But this has become somewhat of an Oscar Piastri trademark.
On Sunday, the two McLaren drivers are likely to shadow each other closely on track, which could work to Max Verstappen’s advantage. However, when one is fighting for the World Championship, all other considerations take a backseat. The main priority is to finish the weekend with a stronger points haul than your main rival—especially when that rival is wearing the same team colours.
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