Red Bull's mystifying slump in Singapore leaves Suzuka Formula 1 hopes high
- Rob Fleming
- 21 September 2023
Red Bull find themselves in a quest for answers following a perplexing performance slump in Singapore last week, leaving the team baffled as they prepare for the F1 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.
In Singapore, Red Bull's aspirations of an unblemished 2023 F1 season came crashing down as their RB19 struggled to find its footing, enduring difficulties with both setup and grip throughout practice sessions.
Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, the team's star drivers, suffered the consequences, failing to advance beyond Q2 and ultimately finishing in fifth and eighth places, respectively.
Team principal Christian Horner attributed the downturn to setup issues, downplaying any connection to the recent FIA crackdown on flexi-wings in TD018. However, lingering questions persist about the true cause of the setback.
With the opportunity to clinch the 2023 Constructors' title at Suzuka, Sergio Perez expressed the team's determination to rebound from their Singapore woes, even though the root cause remains elusive. "It is definitely the target [to bounce back]," Perez remarked during media interactions before the Suzuka race.
"We still don't understand fully what went wrong so wrong in Singapore. We have some ideas, but certainly, this track is very different [to Singapore], so there should not be a reason why not to be strong.
"Suzuka should be one of the best circuits for us. We obviously have some ideas on how we prepared for the weekend and the information we had and got wrong, but obviously it is something that we will keep internal. There are some indications that we probably approached the weekend with the wrong set-up."
As the Formula 1 calendar progresses, the next challenge awaits at the Japanese Grand Prix, the 17th race of the season. The Suzuka Circuit, steeped in history since hosting its first Japanese Grand Prix in 1987, has seen the crowning of 13 World Champions over the years.
The iconic track is cherished by drivers for its formidable characteristics, including the famous 'S' Curves, the high-speed 130R corner, the tricky Degner Curve, and the renowned crossover. These elements continue to make Suzuka an exhilarating and formidable circuit, one that drivers eagerly anticipate conquering in the upcoming race.
