Crimson Bull staff principal Christian Horner has insisted the “greatest problem” for Formulation 1’s reigning constructors’ champions on the upcoming Brazilian Grand Prix weekend can be to match McLaren’s end-of-stint tempo.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have constantly outperformed rivals as tyre stints go on in races in latest months, typically hanging again and preserving their tyres earlier than occurring the assault late within the race.
That once more turned prevalent as Norris chased down Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari for second in Mexico final weekend, clinching a consequence that helped slash Max Verstappen’s lead within the drivers’ title race.
The Dutchman complained about his tyres throughout each the medium and arduous stints, with an absence of grip cited for his incapacity to get better to the highest 5 after a pair of 10-second penalties.
When urged to him that the race tempo was once more missing in comparison with the one-lap qualifying effort that noticed Verstappen take second on the grid, Horner replied: “I feel that’s the greatest factor that we have to take away from right here. Extra so on the arduous tyre, we simply didn’t have the identical tempo.
“Max had no grip, we didn’t really feel we may change the tyres on. In order that’s the most important problem within the subsequent 4 days, to grasp what brought about that.
Christian Horner, Workforce Principal, Crimson Bull Racing, within the staff representatives press convention
Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos
“Clearly, Brazil is a really completely different problem to this circuit, however it’s a sample that, notably on the finish of stints, you see the McLaren could be very robust – notably on the finish of grands prix.”
Carlos Sainz’s victory and Leclerc’s third place to observe up on the 1-2 end in Austin, in addition to Sergio Perez’s poor type, imply that Crimson Bull has been leapfrogged by the Scuderia into second within the constructors’ standings.
Requested how he noticed the battle for the staff’s title shaping up, Horner conceded: “I feel will probably be very tough. We by no means surrender. We’ll combat very arduous. We want each vehicles, clearly, scoring.
“Ferrari had one other massive rating right here and so far as the constructors’ is anxious, we’re definitely on the again foot.”
Further reporting by Erwin Jaeggi and Stuart Coddling
