Formula 1 News: Verstappen Baffled by Unprecedented Balance Swing in Monza Qualifying
Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen has expressed his shock and disappointment after experiencing a dramatic balance swing in Monza qualifying, which saw him drop significantly in speed and eventually finish seventh in the Italian Grand Prix qualifying session. The three-time Formula 1 champion was nearly seven-tenths behind pole-sitter Lando Norris of McLaren, despite using newer tyres.
Verstappen, who has been struggling with balance problems on his RB20 since the Miami round in May, admitted that he has never experienced such a drastic swing in balance before. >”For whatever reason in Q3 I picked up a lot of understeer on both tyre sets, and this is something that I don’t understand at the moment,” he said. “It was just not drivable anymore. I couldn’t attack any corner, so that’s something that is very weird.”
The Dutch driver’s struggles with his car’s balance are not new, but the sudden and unexplained swing in Monza qualifying has left him and his team stumped. Red Bull’s pace, which has been competitive throughout the season, seems to be dwindling as rival teams catch up in the development race. Verstappen’s teammates, Sergio Perez, who qualified eighth, have also been facing similar issues with their car’s balance.
When asked if he could still contend for victory on Sunday, Verstappen was cautious in his response. >”Normally not. The whole weekend already we were too slow. The long runs might look good on paper, but it didn’t really feel like that personally. The problem is that when you don’t have a balanced car, of course in the race that is also quite painful on tyres.”
Perez added that the team’s lack of a specific Monza rear wing also hurt their performance, “more than we thought.” The Mexican driver highlighted the importance of finding a solution to the balance issue, saying, >”This connection in the balance that we’re currently facing is the main issue. We can get some competitive laps at times, but it’s very difficult to have any progression.”
Formula 1 qualifying has always been a crucial aspect of the sport, and teams like Red Bull Racing, which have traditionally been strong in this area, are now struggling to find the right balance. With the Italian Grand Prix just around the corner, Verstappen and his team will need to find a solution to their balance woes if they hope to remain competitive in the championship.
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