Red Bull Formula 1 boss Christian Horner has revealed a tear-off got stuck under Sergio Perez’s floor during the Australian Grand Prix, causing a “significant” load loss.
Perez was the sole remaining Red Bull car to reach the chequered flag as polesitter Max Verstappen retired in the opening stages when his right rear brake caught fire.
However, the Mexican, who had been demoted to sixth on the grid for an impeding incident, was unable to capitalise on his team-mate’s misfortune and finished fifth.
Horner has disclosed that Perez was on course to challenge for a potential podium position until a visor tear-off got wedged under his RB20 car and restricted his pace.
“Checo’s race we went long on the first [stint]; his actual pace when he was coming through the field on the Hard tyre as he closed in on Fernando was strong and matching that of the leaders, and then literally as he’s passed Fernando he’s picked up a tear off underneath the floor and it’s got lodged in an area that’s caused significant load loss,” he explained.
“He’s passed Fernando, the car’s not working as it should and so then you start to see degradation on the tyre and again at the end of the second stint which has been unusual for our car.
“So a lot of lessons obviously taken out of this weekend, frustrating that we didn’t manage to match the 10 [wins] in a row, but incredible what we’ve been able to achieve so far.”
When asked how much the load loss was worth that hampered Perez’s competitiveness, Horner replied: “I think it was in excess of 20 points, so it’s a significant amount.”
Perez had denied that Verstappen’s presence in the race would have prevented Ferrari from triumphing through Carlos Sainz, who led home team-mate Charles Leclerc.
Asked whether the outcome of the race would have changed without Perez’s grid drop for obstructing Nico Hulkenberg’s Haas car, Horner answered: “Difficult to say.
“For sure he’s been compromised when he’s picked up the issue with the floor. I think they [Ferrari] were maybe just a bit too quick today but you never know.”
Verstappen divulged that his brake had become “stuck” from the outset, with Horner comparing the worsening problem to the Dutchman driving with the “handbrake” on.
“I think we can see there’s been an issue where the calliper has created the brake to bind on and that’s happened from the very start of the race and so you can see the heat building and then I think as early as the second lap it was like Max has got a handbrake at Turn 3 he had a moment there then another that allowed Carlos to pass him,” he expanded.
“He was then lining up to have a go back and then had another moment and then we started to see the smoke and then the fire.
“So frustrating, it’s our first mechanical DNF since actually this race two years ago, so in one way that’s testament to the strength and design of the car.
“But obviously frustrating to have a zero-point score, obviously when we were fighting at the front of the field.”
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