Red Bull struggles with RB21 balance: suspension damping issue
F1, Qatar GP: Red Bull and McLaren are fighting for the title. At Lusail, the RB21’s setup was not optimal, similar to what happened in Brazil. Conversely, thanks to its inherent strengths, the McLaren MCL39 found performance and displayed impressive stability. Woking’s engineers also got the fine-tuning right after FP1, while the Milton Keynes team struggled to find the perfect balance. Team radio exchanges between Verstappen and Lambiase were emblematic of these issues.
Same problems as Brazil for the RB21: not enough time to perfect the car
Looking at the Sprint Qualifying at the Qatar Grand Prix, the last of the season, it makes sense to directly compare Red Bull and McLaren. These are the two cars battling for the drivers’ championship, with Verstappen hoping to claw points back from both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. The Milton Keynes car faced a particularly challenging day, with the base setup chosen by Pierre Waché’s technical team far from perfect. Although the RB21 showed some progress compared to Brazil, where the car’s condition was slightly better, the overall scenario resembled Interlagos, even if the nature of the limitations differed.
In Brazil, the Sprint format also complicated car setup for the Austrian team. The former world champions have significant potential at Lusail, but once again, the crucial fine-tuning needed to elevate performance, cover car weaknesses, and allow Max Verstappen to push to the limit was missing. That is the situation, at least so far.
RB21 balance fails to inspire confidence in Max Verstappen
Delving into the session details, Max Verstappen complained repeatedly about irritating bouncing when lifting off the throttle in certain corners. The Dutchman pointed to the usual culprit: suspension damping. Friday’s images show colored streaks on the track, mostly from the RB21’s floor making contact with the asphalt. This is an indisputable fact highlighting Red Bull’s headaches. Ultimately, as Verstappen noted, the issue reflects a clear lack of overall balance. It is not a matter of too much or too little rotation, but rather a fundamental imbalance between factors.
Turn 7 exemplified this issue. The team suggested multiple adjustments via steering wheel tools, but none were effective. Team radio exchanges between Max and Lambiase revealed considerable confusion. At times, Max experienced understeer; at other times, he complained the car was too aggressive. This made it difficult to follow a precise direction.
McLaren dominates in Qatar: stability and tyre management at Lusail
In contrast, McLaren displayed a very solid balance. The car generates high downforce, optimizing cornering speed. Long, high-load corners favor the MCL39, and while FP1 balance was not perfect, it improved for Sprint Qualifying. Woking’s team achieves an advanced balance, allowing minimal steering input. Occasionally, rear instability caused minor snaps mid-corner, but these issues were resolved through fine-tuning. Tyre management was also simplified, as McLaren’s setup consistently allows the tyres to stay within their optimal temperature window for a significant portion of the lap.
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