F1 News: Max Verstappen Raises Serious Las Vegas Concern As Red Bull Fails To Bring Rear Wing

Saajan Jogia | 5 Hours Ago

Nov 21, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Oracle Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen (1) during practice for the Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen failed to find traction during the Las Vegas Grand Prix practice, suggesting that the problem was not related to the balance of his RB20 F1 car, but to the tires. Adding to the team's problems this weekend is the fact that it missed bringing the correct low-downforce rear wing for the street circuit.

While the Dutchman has every chance of securing his fourth championship in Las Vegas, low grip levels on a dusty and cold track meant he struggled with the car's handling. He finished fifth in FP1 but dropped massively to 17th in FP2.

The top spot in both practice sessions was secured by Lewis Hamilton, but the conditions saw most drivers struggle for grip. For Verstappen, though, he described the feeling as "driving on ice." The championship leader said:

"It was slippery, we struggled a lot with making the tyre work over one lap and especially on the long run.

"We started off a bit more competitive, but even then, we needed to fine-tune a few things, but the one-lap pace is quite far off, but of course, it is unique conditions, but it is the same for everyone.

"We need to understand what we are doing wrong, but it feels massively tyre-related as the balance of the car is not even wrong.

"It is just that we have no grip, it is like driving on ice at the moment."

Red Bull faces a critical task to secure Verstappen's fourth consecutive F1 Drivers' Championship this weekend. With Verstappen holding a 62-point lead over Lando Norris, he needs to maintain at least a 60-point advantage after the Las Vegas Grand Prix to clinch the title.

Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko revealed further challenges for the team, confirming they did not bring the optimal low-downforce rear wing to Las Vegas and ruled out the possibility of shipping one in. This oversight left both Red Bull cars around 7 kph slower than their rivals in straight-line speed. He said:

"We don't have another rear wing, a smaller rear wing, as we see it on our competitors. It would be more helpful, for sure."

Speaking about the team's surprising FP2 run, the 81-year-old advisor explained:

"On the short run we didn't go out with a soft tyre, and the long run was only partly good.

"Some laps were competitive, but then the rear tyres were disappearing.

"There were flashes of speed. We just have to get consistency into it."

Marko added:

"We need more balance.

"On the single lap we can improve. But on the long run, the tyre wear is a problem at the moment.

"Tomorrow is a different day.

"You maybe saw it a lot of times, people will be fastest on Friday or Thursday, but it doesn't mean that they are fast in the race...

"We will, for sure, make a reasonable step."