Crimson Bull group principal Christian Horner has insisted the “largest problem” for Components 1’s reigning constructors’ champions on the upcoming Brazilian Grand Prix weekend might be to match McLaren’s end-of-stint tempo.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have persistently outperformed rivals as tyre stints go on in races in current months, usually hanging again and preserving their tyres earlier than happening the assault late within the race.
That once more grew to become prevalent as Norris chased down Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari for second in Mexico final weekend, clinching a consequence that helped slash Max Verstappen’s lead within the drivers’ title race.
The Dutchman complained about his tyres throughout each the medium and exhausting stints, with a scarcity of grip cited for his incapability to recuperate to the highest 5 after a pair of 10-second penalties.
When urged to him that the race tempo was once more missing in comparison with the one-lap qualifying effort that noticed Verstappen take second on the grid, Horner replied: “I feel that’s the largest factor that we have to take away from right here.
“Extra so on the exhausting tyre, we simply didn’t have the identical tempo. Max had no grip, we didn’t really feel we might change the tyres on. In order that’s the largest problem within the subsequent 4 days, to grasp what precipitated that.
“Clearly, Brazil is a really completely different problem to this circuit, nevertheless it’s a sample that notably on the finish of stints, you see the McLaren could be very sturdy – notably on the finish of grands prix.”
Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing RB20
Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Photos
Carlos Sainz’s victory and Leclerc’s third place to comply with up on the 1-2 end in Austin, in addition to Sergio Perez’s poor type, signifies that Crimson Bull has been leapfrogged by the Scuderia into second within the constructors’ standings.
Requested how he noticed the battle for the group’s title shaping up, Horner conceded: “I feel will probably be very tough. We by no means hand over. We’ll struggle very exhausting. We’d like each vehicles, clearly, scoring.
“Ferrari had one other huge rating right here and so far as the constructors’ is worried, we’re actually on the again foot.”
Further reporting by Erwin Jaeggi and Stuart Coddling