For the Belgian Grand Prix, Crimson Bull Racing opted for a setup with barely extra downforce, leading to a bigger rear wing. This was supposed to scale back tyre put on through the race, however on the expense of pure prime pace. Sergio Pérez complained about this through the race, however staff boss Christian Horner emphasises that ‘nobody had a crystal ball’ that the one-stopper would work – as confirmed by George Russell, who was disqualified afterwards as a result of his automotive was beneath the minimal weight. “We have been proper behind George on the identical tyre and had made a pit cease on the identical lap,” Horner explains to, amongst others, Motorsport.com“We felt like that wasn’t a nasty possibility as a result of the wear and tear and tear was decrease than anticipated.”
Horner can be satisfied that Russell himself didn’t count on to make the one-stopper work on the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, the place some sections had been resurfaced. This raised questions on put on, as there have been already considerations about graining and excessive put on on Friday after apply as a result of the brand new layers provided extra grip. That can be why Crimson Bull’s method – working with a bit extra downforce to scale back tyre degradation – appeared a great one, based on Horner. “So it was a wierd race as a result of all the information from Friday pointed to graining and excessive put on due to the brand new asphalt layer. However in truth, whether or not it was due to the temperature or one thing else, it was fully the other: the one-stopper gained the race,” the Briton concludes. “So I do not suppose anybody might have predicted that.”
Potential to win
What additionally shocked Horner was Mercedes’ pace. “On Friday they did not appear to be there, however their race tempo was superb,” the Crimson Bull staff boss admits. “The large unknown was simply the tyre, in addition to the circumstances and completely different layers of asphalt,” he provides. “I do not suppose the simulations would have predicted that going into this race.” Pérez dropped from second to eighth place on this race, whereas Max Verstappen needed to come from P11 resulting from a grid penalty, and ultimately completed fifth. Each drivers moved up a spot resulting from Russell’s disqualification, however based on Horner there might have been extra. “We by no means drove within the open air, solely within the soiled air. If we had began from pole, we might have probably gained the race. However now we have that engine penalty behind us, so we’re in a greater place after the summer season break.”
Like Crimson Bull advisor Helmut Marko, Horner questions the FIA’s choice to shorten the DRS zone on Kemmel Straight by 75 metres. “On the final lap we have been fairly proud of it, however it made overtaking way more tough,” he notes. “These 75 metres within the run to Flip 5… You may see there weren’t many overtakes.”
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