Formula 1 News: Mercedes Technical Director James Allison Weighs in on Red Bull’s Recent Struggles
As Red Bull faces a slump in performance, losing two of the last three F1 races, Mercedes technical director James Allison has shared his thoughts on the matter. Despite Max Verstappen’s triumph at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the team’s struggles are evident, and Allison believes the issues may run deeper than the RB20’s kerb-riding troubles.
Allison suggests that the significant upgrade package Red Bull brought to Imola, featuring a new floor and front wing, may not have delivered the expected improvements. “I guess as soon as there’s a decent range of cornering speeds, they’ll be useful again, but it does look as if their upgrade was a downgrade,” Allison observed at the Canadian Grand Prix.
The Mercedes technical director understands the challenges that come with implementing new upgrades, stating, “That [an upgrade not working] makes life hard, because the moment you stop trusting your tools, you have to backtrack, and you lose loads of time. Time is your biggest friend, losing it is your worst enemy.”
When asked if Red Bull’s struggles had given Mercedes a boost of confidence, Allison candidly replied, “Everyone always loves other people’s misery in this game.”
Meanwhile, Mercedes has introduced additional upgrade elements to its W15 at the Canadian Grand Prix, building on the success of a new front wing used by George Russell in Monaco. The team hopes that these changes, including revisions to the profiling of the front suspension, will improve the car’s performance across high and low-speed corners.
While Allison acknowledges progress, he remains cautious about making bold claims about the overall competitiveness of the top teams. “I have to confess, I’m not really thinking of it in big-picture terms like that,” he said. “I’m just thinking where we are now appears to be somewhat better than we were two races ago. Hopefully, we will be somewhat better in a couple of races from now.”
As the Formula 1 season unfolds, the battle for supremacy continues, with Mercedes and Red Bull vying for the top spot. With tires playing a critical role in each race, Formula 1 news today suggests that teams will need to adapt quickly to changing circumstances to stay ahead. Stay tuned for the latest updates on Formula 1 standings and news.
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