Christian Horner opens up on Red Bull’s experiment setups with Max Verstappen-Sergio Perez in Qatar
Christian Horner revealed that Red Bull’s experimental approach with Sergio Perez’s car during the Qatar GP sprint race played a crucial role in turning around their performance for the main event. The Milton Keynes team CEO explained that they used the sprint as an opportunity to test setup adjustments, including increased downforce, which ultimately helped Max Verstappen secure pole position and claim victory.
After qualifying, both Red Bull drivers acknowledged that Perez’s car served as a testing ground to find the optimal setup for the challenging Lusail circuit. With limited free practice sessions available, the team experimented with heavier downforce and mechanical tweaks on the Mexican driver’s car. Unlike the more adaptable McLaren challenger, the RB20 has struggled with a narrow operating window this season, often resulting in inconsistent performances across different circuits.
Horner emphasized that the changes made to Verstappen’s car following the data gathered from Perez’s experiments were pivotal. The adjustments paid off as early as qualifying, with Verstappen moving from battling in the midfield during the sprint to leading the field. The Dutchman confirmed in the press conference that they adopted an aggressive setup approach to extract the best performance from the RB20. This decision ultimately delivered one of their strongest results of the season.
Asked by Sportskeeda how Perez’s experiments in the sprint race helped them broaden the operating window of the RB20 and yield results, Horner explained:
“We ran a bit heavier downforce with Checo in the sprint race and we didn't adopt that with Max. So it was more mechanical and set up changes that were made to Max's car and look all credit to the team here trackside and you know to all the guys in vehicle performance and engineering back in Milton Keynes that turned it around it's one of the biggest turnarounds. I've seen you know as I say we're fighting when Haas and Nico Hulkenberg on Saturday afternoon and by Saturday evening we were on pole position.”
Asked by Sportskeeda what setup changes were made to his car after Perez’ experiments, Verstappen said:
“Already a step in a direction, and I think then we went a bit more aggressive on it, I would say.”
Christian Horner felt that Red Bull turned around their performance to go from the mid-field to the front of the grid
Christian Horner highlighted the significant setup changes Red Bull made to the RB20 between the sprint race and the qualifying session, which played a crucial role in turning around their performance at the Qatar GP. He explained that the adjustments allowed the car to operate in a much better window, helping Max Verstappen optimize his tires during qualifying to secure pole position.
In the race, Horner noted that Verstappen’s ability to manage the car and nurse his tires was instrumental in securing his ninth win of the season. The Red Bull team boss commended the Dutchman for delivering a well-executed performance that capitalized on the improvements made to the car setup over the weekend.
Asked how there was such a big turnaround in the performance, Horner said:
"Well, yesterday we were racing Nico Hulkenberg and today Max had everybody covered. So obviously, the sprint races are slightly more complicated because you get one session before you're into a Parc Ferme and qualifying. And I think we were just not in the right window for the car in qualifying and in the sprint race.
"And some big changes after the sprint race turned it around and got the car into a much better operating window and straight away Max felt that it just got the tyre way more connected from that first lap in quali and then to to get the pole you know. Yesterday was very satisfying but then obviously to start from second on the grid and still win the Grand Prix.”
He added:
“He managed the race incredibly well, he looked after his tires so that he had the longevity on the medium and then as it turned out obviously the safety car neutralized the race and then even on the hard [tire]. Despite a moment when the safety car's lights weren't functioning properly he was you know, cover the race off and get his 9th win of the year.”
Max Verstappen’s ninth win of the 2024 season has elevated his points tally to 429 in the Drivers’ championship, giving him an 80-point lead over Lando Norris and an 88-point margin over Charles Leclerc. Despite Verstappen’s stellar individual performance, Red Bull Racing currently sits third in the Constructors’ championship with 581 points and is out of contention for the title.