Red Bull have brought updates for the RB21 to the Japanese Grand Prix, after Helmut Marko issued a “next five races” warning before it becomes “too late” to fight back in the championships.

Red Bull have found themselves on the back foot this season, with McLaren’s MCL39 emerging as the car to beat with back-to-back Grand Prix victories.

Red Bull: Some issues are easier to solve than others

Max Verstappen sits second in the Drivers’ Championship, eight points behind Lando Norris, while Red Bull are third in the teams’ battle, 42 points off the pace set by McLaren.

“I think our main issue is that our car is not where we want it to be,” Verstappen said in Suzuka on Thursday. “Everyone knows that within the team as well and that’s what I focus on, to be honest.

“It is a little bit more nervous, a little bit more unstable in different corner phases. I think it’s a combination of a lot of things. It depends also on the corner speed, the tarmac, tyres, overheating, bumps, kerbs. Some tracks are more limiting than others.

“Some issues are easier to solve than others. Everyone is trying their hardest to make the car faster.”

Time though is of the essence with Marko declaring they have “five races” to close the deficit to McLaren or else it will be “too late” to mount a title challenge.

“We have to bring out updates quickly that also work,” the 81-year-old told Kleine Zeitung in the build-up to the Japanese Grand Prix. “Of course, they come in batches and if a part doesn’t work, we have to make improvements.

“To win the World Championship, however, these improvements will certainly have to happen in the next five races, otherwise it will be too late.”

Red Bull have brought new parts to Suzuka, making revisions to the RB21’s rear suspension to improve the car’s performance. The team has introduced a revised wishbone shroud that is ‘better aligned to the local flow conditions to be applied with attendant fairing into the brake duct assembly’ as per the FIA’s car presentation Submissions.

They’ve also made changes to the engine cover to ‘reduce the losses incurred by the upper and lower rear wings for more cooling’ as well as bringing a larger exit duct that is ‘prepared with scope to blank primarily for Suzuka’.

McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes did not introduce new parts, neither did Aston Martin nor Alpine.

Haas were on the FIA’s submission list with a new floor body, the team having reshaped the central floor. ‘This geometry changes the floor volume in floor proximity, aiming to improve stability when the car is running at low ride-heights in high-speed corners.’

Racing Bulls have a new Halo that influences the ‘airflow passing over the Halo towards the back of the car and can influence the rear wing and floor performance. This update improves the flow quality downstream of the Halo’ while Williams have tweaked the front wing to add more local load.

As for Sauber, the team has made changes to several areas of the floor – floor fence, outboard floor and diffuser. ‘All changes together are aiming to have better flow field entering the underfloor and improving flow quality all along the floor,’ read the FIA release.

The C45 also has a new rear wing and beam wing, with the addition of ‘the forward element leads to an efficient load increase as well as a positive response on characteristics.’

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