I think Yuki's career after this season was always going to be up in the air anyway. No more 'Honda' engine for Red Bull next year so no obligation to have Yuki near that second team (or first team) if he doesn't deliver. Potentially a role at Aston Martin as they'll have Honda engines?
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But RB are aware of their car's shortcomings and to suggest they aren't is just a simplistic opinion given all the expertise they have. Max has also been very vocal about the shortcomings, which completely disproves any theory it is built around him. It is somewhat like the Mercedes situation has been in the last few years, the car should be good but on the track it isn't and it takes time to understand why this is so. It is clear from comments from Max, Perez and Lawson that the car has a extremely narrow operating window, such as the Mercedes had also, thus it is extremely difficult for a driver to get the car to it's optimum condition and track, ambient and the tyres all are all playing their part in making it tough to get the best setup.
Thing is, as you've stated, if RB give a driver time they are wrong, and if they don't they are also wrong.
But then with some 'F1 fans' they are dammed whatever...
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I don't think the car is built around Max, I know others in these threads believe that to be the case but I think Red Bull are trying to build the fastest car they can and that often means that the margins for success are so narrow that it means only someone on Max's level can extract that.
We saw it very clearly in 2024 as Red Bull made tweaks to the car so that they could keep pace with McLaren that Max was able to sustain it for longer but Checo just dropped off a cliff.
I don't think anyone is saying that Red Bull aren't aware they have shortcomings, it's more about them being largely in denial about the size of those shortcomings. And I think the situation with RB being damned if they do, damned if they don't is largely a problem of their own making. Since Danny Ric left, they've really made a rod for their own back with that second seat alongside Max.
Exactly this - their Sims / CFD etc is saying that their current approach is the fastest aero wise.
Unfortunately whilst the numbers are good, they don't actually translate to a driveable car. Even Max who likes a pointy and loose car is struggling with this one, as evidenced by some of the onboard shots of him literally sawing away at the steering wheel on his qualy lap and only managing 4th.
Of the current seasons F1 drivers, other than Verstappen, I think only Leclerc would come close in terms of handling a pointy loose car.
It will be interesting to see how Yuki goes in the car but no question the car has been tailored to the demands of Max. I get the love of a front end, point it where I want it and have confidence it will go there and I will deal with the rear, but I believe Max takes that to not 11 but 8809282380932809328493289032809832098324 and this is the issue.
I think if Yuki fails Red Bull needs to start looking at its leadership and junior programs because at the moment they are creating cars it's junior program drivers seem unable to drive and what the point of that is who knows.
I think if Yuki fails Red Bull needs to start looking at its leadership and junior programs because at the moment they are creating cars it's junior program drivers seem unable to drive and what the point of that is who knows.
It will be a tough weekend for Liam in Japan, with all of the media focus on the driver switch, but I imagine in 2+ races he will look back as it being a good move.
Less pressure for him, with a car which is ultimately easier to drive and performing better (if you're not MV)
Less pressure for him, with a car which is ultimately easier to drive and performing better (if you're not MV)
I think Alonso likes an oversteery car too.
But I agree that this is what they felt was the right direction for the car, and Max can drive it so it's not the end of the world for them, however, I don't think they've expected so many other drivers to struggle with it.
The current car has been like this for years but has clearly gotten more extreme as they've pushed development (see Checo's results), and changing the entire cars philosophy is far from easy. Other teams could because they were rubbish, and McLaren eventually got it right, but RB would hit completely different issues with a different design, especially with their older wind tunnel. They probably focused on next year anyway.
There's literally no way we'll ever know. But the more drivers that can succeed in other cars, and be dog**** in the RB, go far to prove it's likely the way the car is setup around Max rather than some other-worldly genius that some claim.
It'd be hilarious if Lawson beats Tsunoda next weekend. Oh how the turn.. tables.. have turned (it's an Office quote, I cba to find the meme)
Still wouldn't explain the disparity in the No2 drivers that he has had with him that cant drive the car.
That and just how long he has been at RB.
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Its famously the opposite, Alonso much prefers having understeer.
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Of course it’s built around his driving style lol
You think they don’t take into account how their main driver drives when designing a car ?????
It is a brutal move , and i don't like Red Bull as a team/Horner etc. However i do understand why they have done it in this instance. They ditched Perez because his results were awful, and Lawson has so far shown himself to be even worse and finishing at the back in qualy and the race.
They don't want to make the same mistake as last time and leave it too long so that a constructors win (or even a decent place in the constructors) is impossible.
With the car only looking like the 2nd/3rd fastest on the grid, if only Max is scoring points they could find themselves only finishing 4th or worse in the constructors as the other top teams have very good driver pairings (Mclaren and Ferrari especially).
Mind you they might not have to worry about Ferrari if their disaster class in strategy and in the garage continues...
They don't want to make the same mistake as last time and leave it too long so that a constructors win (or even a decent place in the constructors) is impossible.
With the car only looking like the 2nd/3rd fastest on the grid, if only Max is scoring points they could find themselves only finishing 4th or worse in the constructors as the other top teams have very good driver pairings (Mclaren and Ferrari especially).
Mind you they might not have to worry about Ferrari if their disaster class in strategy and in the garage continues...
We also don't know behind the scenes. Privately for all we know Lawson is not handling the pressure well and having a kind of breakdown. Can only imagine what working with management at RB is like, pretty hellish I imagine. Or the data they have on his driving is really bad and he made zero difference or improvements when the team told him everything he needed to do a bit better.
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Why would my comment explain such a thing? Same as how long he has been there.
Very weird reply.
Hit the wrong quote I think.
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Everyone is blaming the car saying it's impossible to drive because its based around Max's driving style.
Yet people seem to have forgotten that Max's driving style is to have the car as pointy as possible with big preference to oversteer yet all Lawsons complaints have been about the complete opposite, terminal understeer and no front grip...
It's a weird one
Yet people seem to have forgotten that Max's driving style is to have the car as pointy as possible with big preference to oversteer yet all Lawsons complaints have been about the complete opposite, terminal understeer and no front grip...
It's a weird one
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