As Formulation 1 entered its summer season shutdown, Crimson Bull discovered themselves in an unfamiliar place, a minimum of as latest historical past goes. With only a 42-point lead over McLaren — a quantity that would mathematically be erased this weekend on the Dutch Grand Prix — hypothesis lingered that to enhance their Constructors’ Championship probabilities, a change can be made to their driver lineup.
Nevertheless, the workforce went in a special route, with Crimson Bull Group Principal Christian Horner saying initially of the shutdown that Sergio Pérez, whose poor run of kind helped open the door to McLaren’s cost, can be again within the RB20 following the break.
Horner addressed the determination talking with Sky Sports activities F1 at Zandvoort on Friday, calling it a matter of “efficiency.”
“It’s all about efficiency. For us, we’ve obtained the 2 drivers that we consider in our pool of drivers are essentially the most able to giving us one of the best outcomes,” mentioned Horner. “If there was a doubt in that then we might have modified it.
“We now have one of the best two drivers on this automotive and if we felt there was one thing higher we might have modified it by now.”
Horner indicated when talking on the workforce’s Milton Keynes manufacturing unit initially of the shutdown that some favorable circuits have been arising for Pérez. The Crimson Bull boss continued that line of thought on Friday.
“We all know what Checo is able to,” he advised Sky Sports activities F1. “We all know that originally of the yr he was scoring properly, 4 podiums in 5 races.
“I believe he’s simply had a insecurity and has ended up in a little bit of a spiral. He’s had a little bit of a reset, hopefully, over the summer season break.
“We all know that there’s tracks that he’s received at arising. We’ve obtained Azerbaijan the place he’s received each dash race and grand prix on the identical weekend. He’s received a unbelievable race in Singapore in opposition to Charles Leclerc in blended circumstances. He’s been very fast at Monza.”
Nevertheless, Horner did concede that Zandvoort won’t be Pérez’s finest circuit. The Crimson Bull driver completed fourth on the Dutch Grand Prix a season in the past.
“Zandvoort hasn’t been his finest circuit, so of the 4 races arising earlier than the subsequent mini-break, I’d say that is his most difficult one,” added the Crimson Bull boss.
Complicating issues may be the truth that after the primary two apply periods, Pérez’s teammate lamented that in the meanwhile, Crimson Bull is just “too sluggish” at Zandvoort.
“In fact, in FP1 I didn’t actually get lots of working in. I assume in FP2 you can see slightly bit extra the place you’re. [We’re] a bit too sluggish on the brief run, a bit too sluggish on the long term, so a bit of labor to do,” mentioned Max Verstappen to the official F1 channel.
“In the meanwhile, [there’s] no clear reply of how you can enhance that particularly, however we’ll look into issues. Only a bit too sluggish, so simple as that.”
We’ll see if Pérez and firm can get issues sorted in time for qualifying on Saturday.
