Ahead of the return of Formula 1 next weekend, Motorsport Week is delving through some of the key talking points for the second half of the season; here, we take a look at whether Red Bull could play an influential role in the title battle.
Mercedes and Ferrari have ruled the roost in 2017, with Red Bull left fighting for scraps. Its high point came in Baku, with Daniel Ricciardo triumphing in an extraordinary Grand Prix, and only in Monaco and Austria have podiums come on merit. Correlation issues between wind tunnel data and on-track results meant the squad was, in its own words, “two-and-a-half months” behind the development curve, and while testing hinted at a subdued showing, it was only in Australia that the reality was starkly illustrated. Ricciardo and Max Verstappen’s title hopes were immediately put to bed for another year as the pair voiced their acceptance that they were in the unfancied role of underdog/catch-up merchants. The lack of pace was also compounded by lacklustre reliability – both from the team and engine partner Renault – with some unexpected opportunities wasted. Verstappen, in particular, was hit hard, retiring five times in a seven-race spell, including in Canada and Azerbaijan, when strong results were in the offing.
However, Red Bull has shown signs of improvement in recent events. The overall results have yet to fully pick up, but pace displayed in Austria and Hungary proves that Red Bull is making gains. Ricciardo finished just six seconds down on Valtteri Bottas at Red Bull’s home event – and held off Lewis Hamilton to capture a podium – while Verstappen’s speed last time out suggested Red Bull would have been a factor without its first-lap drama and the Dutchman’s consequent sanction.
Red Bull is still behind Mercedes and Ferrari, but the team expects to become a bigger factor across the second half of the season, and has set itself the target of out-scoring the Italian marque.
“I think the team is working very well collectively,” explained team boss Christian Horner prior to the summer shutdown.
“We're getting performance on the car, we've got some venues coming up that hopefully will suit us and we'll keep pushing all the way to the final race in Abu Dhabi.
“There is a big gap between us and the cars ahead but there are opportunities in the remaining races and we're going to be going all out to try and achieve what we can, and obviously the lessons you learn apply to next year anyway.”
Red Bull’s 2017 report card currently reads ‘could do better’, but it is on the rise and could yet play a role in the outcome of the championship. Its drivers, both feisty and often unwilling to back out of a fight, also enter races in the knowledge that their primary rivals cannot afford a single slip-up, and will not be keen to risk it all in a wheel-to-wheel fight. On pure pace, events such as the high-speed Italian Grand Prix will be a challenge, but in theory the RB13 should be a contender in Singapore; if Monaco is used as a benchmark, Red Bull could easily split the Ferrari and Mercedes drivers…
Wins, on pure pace, may be beyond Red Bull’s reach this season, but Mercedes and Ferrari are unlikely to have it all their own way.
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