Max Verstappen fears this weekend’s British Grand Prix may fall flat, arguing that the new Formula One regulations will leave teams struggling to perform on what is considered one of the great circuits of the season. Verstappen said he had been left laughing at how Silverstone was neutered by the current engine formula when practising for the race on a simulator.
The four-time world champion finished second at the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday, behind the Mercedes of George Russell, but his Red Bull showed greatly improved form after the host of upgrades the team applied at the Red Bull Ring. The place was hard earned, given he was also suffering from a technical problem at the rear of the car in the second half of the race.
Regardless of which he was sceptical about how that might translate into next Sunday’s race. “I love the track but I did a few laps on the simulator, I just started laughing,” he said. “It felt like a different track to be honest. You barely have battery around the lap. It’s just constantly flat. So yes, it’s going to feel very different compared to what we are used to around Silverstone, because of the layout of the track.
“In Austria you have long straights and big braking zones, so you can charge the battery. There [at Silverstone] you have long straights but in a fast corner for example you can’t really charge the batteries, and then the next straight you don’t have a lot to spend. It’s going to be a tough one.”
Verstappen has been a vocal critic of the current engine formula, as have been most drivers, which places an emphasis on energy management with an almost 50-50 split between power from the internal combustion engine and the electrical battery and hybrid unit. The system makes some tracks where energy recovery is scarce frustrating for those who cannot drive flat-out as they would like. The Dutchman fears Silverstone, with its long straights, fast corners and few heavy braking areas, will be punishing.
However Lewis Hamilton, fifth in Austria after Ferrari had a disappointing weekend but who did enjoy a feisty scrap with Verstappen, was nonetheless impressed by Red Bull, deeming them genuine contenders and noting how the team had both shed the car’s excess weight and developed it strongly.
“The weight that they dropped from the car is huge,” he said. “It’s showing that they’ve got a good car. Then they brought up lots of upgrades, so they’re going to be a force to be reckoned with in the following races.”
Verstappen’s second place in Austria was his best result of the season and represented a real step forward for his team, who had opened the year off the pace and struggling for both grip and balance. They might expect to show good form at the British GP but if they are once more struggling for power it could instead prove to be a frustrating weekend for the 28-year-old.
Nonetheless the Red Bull team principal, Laurent Mekies, remained enormously positive at the strides his team had made across the opening eight rounds.
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“We started the season more than a second away from the pace to win a race,” he said. “The Miami package took us back to the half-a-second region and now it’s great with the package we had on Sunday. We seem to be within the last tenth, certainly within striking range.”
The acid test comes at Silverstone where Mercedes, who have demonstrated major advantages in the strength of their recharging and deployment of electrical energy this season, will expect to be enormously strong.
