F1 News
Waché wants to give everything for title: 'Can even affect '26' too'
Pierre Waché is clear about Red Bull's approach this year: the car should be easier to drive and the car should be easier to setup, as the French technical director explained to PlanetF1. The Frenchman also addressed the Austrian team's development approach for the rest of the season.
Last year, Red Bull struggled to find a working configuration for the RB20 on a wide array of tracks, something the team has made every possible effort to try and improve on that aspect this year. Helmut Marko already stated that it had succeeded in fixing the biggest issue the team faced last season.
Good news for Verstappen
Waché also addressed the problem. Mentioning how feedback on a car's behaviour differs from driver to driver, the Austrian team's technical director then highlights that if the car's outright potential is flatter, then the driver should find it easier to cope with. "We know, by definition, we have with Max that we have, if not the best driver on the grid, the control he has is very high. We know last year that we achieved his limits."
In turn, the changes should also be felt on the other side of the garage. "The main purpose now is to give more freedom on the setup, to adapt to the driver by having a flatter car, to make it more fitting for him than before. When we had a lot peakier car, your setup is more or less given by the car to be able to use this peak. I think the driver will feel it’s really easier for him to adapt the car to him by the setup than last year’s."
Waché wants to go all-in in pursuit of the championship
Despite the improvements, Waché does not expect a 1-2 finish in Australia, but has a development plan for the future. "You can make some references after race three or four, and can have a big update based on capacity. This time, we try to make it all in for the first race, which is why some parts are arriving a little bit earlier for evaluation."
However the Frenchman is aware that Red Bull Racing's 2025 title bid may affect their 2026 hopes. "The way the championship will go could affect, for sure, the results we put on 2026. If we have a chance to win the championship, and I hope we have, we will put everything we can to win it. However, 2026 car development has already started," Waché signaled in conclusion.
This article was written in collaboration with Norberto Mujica.
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