F1 News
Do Red Bull's problems stem from star designer's exit? 'Newey is Newey!'
- Ludo van Denderen
Some consider it a coincidence; others see the connection. The fact is that Red Bull Racing's decline started after it was announced that Adrian Newey would leave the team. For months now, the Briton has not been involved in the development of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez's cars, and by the week, things seem to be getting worse. Helmut Marko, however, does not attribute this to Newey's departure, he told Speedweek.
According to Marko, Newey was no longer involved in the development of the car as early as spring. At the same time, Red Bull's external advisor said: "Of course, this cannot be denied: Newey is Newey, a man with incredible experience, which has always distinguished him. But our problem lies elsewhere. The examples of Mercedes and, to a lesser extent, Ferrari have shown how difficult teams have to master this type of downforce car."
Marko is optimistic about a turnaround
While Marko acknowledged that there is a serious problem, the Austrian does believe that his team can return to where they have been so often in the last few years, the top of the grid. "I remain optimistic: we have a very broad technical team and I am convinced we can solve this problem," Marko stated.
If Red Bull can tame the RB20's unpredictability, they could return to the sharp end of the grid. "If that succeeds, the behaviour of the car will become predictable again, the drivers will regain confidence and be able to perform at their maximum again." Marko concluded.
This article was written in collaboration with Toby Nixon
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