Carlos Sainz has dismissed chatter that Red Bull is abruptly ‘in crisis’ at the Singapore GP.
The Spanish ace, along with his Ferrari partner Charles Leclerc, showcased their recent Monza-like prowess in Singapore on Friday, with Red Bulls trailing by a notable 7 tenths.
“The gap is far too big,” said Dr Helmut Marko.
A prevailing theory is that Red Bull’s momentum has been affected by the FIA’s new stringent rules on flexible body parts and wings.
“We’ve never really had any flexible front wing or whatever,” Max Verstappen maintained.
Marko, however, revealed: “We have a new floor and we haven’t managed to find a good balance. We were constantly oversteering and understeering.
“We have to rack our brains overnight and find something for qualifying,” he added.
While Marko acknowledges the competitive edge of Red Bull’s 2023 car during extended runs, it’s evident that the beverage giant’s team is genuinely worried.
“We can’t find a balance,” Verstappen stated, with a backdrop of his ten consecutive race victories. His teammate Sergio Perez chimed in, “Every time I brake, I’m afraid I’ll end up in the wall.”
Marko notes, “The drivers have no trust in the car. It’s also unusual that Perez is two to three tenths faster than Max.”
Verstappen added, “We tried a lot, but nothing worked.”
It’s undeniable that Red Bull’s plight has been amplified by Ferrari’s reinvigorated performance, reminiscent of their form in Monza.
“Tomorrow they will probably react and find some speed,” commented Ferrari head Frederic Vasseur, “but it’s true that when you are under a lot of pressure you start to make a few mistakes.
“But what goes on at Red Bull is none of our business,” he shared with Sky Italia. “For us, we were already strong in Monte Carlo.
“We like the two extremes – Monza with little downforce and street circuits with a lot.”
For Sainz, he’s not buying into the notion that Red Bull is sinking.
“Red Bull in crisis? I don’t believe that for a moment,” he asserted. “People should look at their long runs – they were the fastest.
“Yes we have started well, yes we are a little surprised ourselves. And we know that a dominant car doesn’t mean you always dominate in Singapore, which we also saw with Mercedes when they were dominating.
“But to automatically conclude that we will be in pole position would be presumptuous,” Sainz voiced.
Formula 1’s veteran racer, Fernando Alonso, grinned when probed about Red Bull’s quandaries.
“They will correct the error by Saturday,” he observed. “For when it matters.”
Prior to the Singapore event, Marko had anticipated Ferrari being a formidable contender.
“There is only one type of corner here,” he noted. “That helps Ferrari.”
