Red Bull’s turnaround between the Qatar GP Sprint race and qualifying was one of the main talking points in the F1 paddock.
The team looked like the fourth-best car on Friday which translated in the Sprint as Max Verstappen finished in P8 and Sergio Perez only managed P20.
It was the first time that Verstappen has finished P8 in any Sprint or race since the 2019 Italian GP, and his lowest classified finished since P9 at the 2021 Hungarian GP.
Clearly, something needed to be done, with Red Bull focusing on making significant changes to the RB20 on both cars once they got it out of Parc Ferme. Helmut Marko claimed they solved their ‘Achilles’ heel’ with the changes made between the sessions, having solved their tyre warm-up problems.
Verstappen powered clear of Mercedes’ George Russell by 0.063s, however, a stewards investigation would later strip the Dutchman of his pole. Peter Windsor has outlined one key data point where Red Bull gained on Mercedes when speaking on his YouTube channel.
Peter Windsor highlights Red Bull top speeds versus Mercedes
Red Bull was fastest among the top teams in the speed traps during qualifying, suggesting they made changes to their aero platform post-Sprint. GPS data from the session shows Verstappen was strongest through the straights into Turn 1, exiting Turn 5, and exiting Turn 15.
Windsor highlighted the top speeds of Russell compared to Verstappen, noting the significant difference that likely contributed to the fine lap time margins.
“Look at the difference in top speeds, 199mph and the difference overall [compared to fastest lap speed] is only 21mph,” said Windsor.
“That’s significant because it’s probably where Red Bull has found some pace since the Sprint race, because they can make changes to the car as a result of what they did in the Sprint.
“That to me adds up to more aero efficiency. Maybe they ran the car lower, but the Red Bull looking pretty good in terms of top speed.”
Why Max Verstappen was handed an unusual one-place grid penalty
Verstappen was handed an unusual one-place grid penalty by the stewards for driving unnecessarily slowly in qualifying, and impeding Russell.
Footage from the qualifying session showed Verstappen was slowing behind Fernando Alonso before his final timed lap on the racing line, and Russell approaching at speed and having to take avoiding action at Turn 12.
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Even though neither was on a push lap, the stewards applied the standard impeding penalty tariff and applied mitigating circumstances as they felt Verstappen was in clear view of Russell.
As a result, the normal three-place grid penalty for impeding was reduced to a one-place grid penalty. The odd number means Verstappen starts from the dirty side of the grid rather than the clean side.
