Red Bull Technical Director Pierre Wache has admitted that the team’s recent upturn in Formula 1 will stand up to a “real test” at this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen securing consecutive victories at Monza and Baku has reignited the claim that he is a title contender as he now trails 69 points behind Oscar Piastri.
The Dutchman’s return to the top step coincided with Red Bull introducing a revised floor at the Italian Grand Prix that has served to widen the RB21’s operating range.
But while that also delivered a positive result in Baku, Wache is hesitant to declare that Red Bull has addressed its weaknesses to boast the package to rival McLaren.
The Frenchman has declared that the trip to a high-downforce track in the Marina Bay Street Circuit – where Verstappen has never won – will show the team’s progress.
“We brought a new floor, it looks like it’s working,” he told the F1 Nation podcast.
“Maybe also some set-up arrangement with this new floor that gives us a possibility [to compete].
“It looks like we are more competitive again at a low-downforce track.
“We will see in Singapore where we are. That is not normally our type of track. It will be the real test.
“If we are competitive there and we don’t lose too much ground, then we sort out our problem.”
Red Bull coy on Verstappen title hopes
Meanwhile, Wache warned it would be premature to suggest Verstappen is a title challenger as he stressed that Red Bull’s priority is the Constructors’ Championship.
“I don’t know [about] that. It’s race by race and you have to realise that is so difficult to win a race, so difficult to win this competition,” he added.
“We won two races in a row, it’s too quick to say that we are in contention.
“Our focus is to make the car as quick as possible. The main focus is also to beat Ferrari and Mercedes in the Constructors’ Championship.”
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