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Red Bull’s technical director Pierre Wache has provided some insight on how the development of the team’s 2022 Formula 1 car has contributed to a growing pace gap between their drivers.
While Max Verstappen has extended his championship lead by winning the last five races, team mate Sergio Perez has only visited the podium once during that time. Perez has been out-qualified by Verstappen by more than half a second in the three grands prix since the summer break.
Although Perez is reluctant to blame the team’s development direction for his struggles in the car, he has acknowledged he isn’t as comfortable in the Red Bull RB18 as he was at the beginning of the season.
“It’s just a few bits constantly evolving things,” he said. “Things have been evolving.
“But I’m not making any excuses. The car is quick and I have to make the most out of it. So I’m going to keep working really hard with my engineers to make the most out of it and then still finish the season.”
Wache explained the changes that have left Perez unable to replicate his race-winning form from earlier in the year.
“I think it’s multiple factors but the main factor is clearly the car balance, the confidence with the car, compared to the beginning of the year when the car was a bit more balanced for him and a bit less for Max,” said Wache.
The “development we put on the car during the season” seemed to have moved it away from what was ideal for Perez, Wache suggested. “Trying to find the right set-up for him is quite difficult to get him as confident as he could be to beat, or to fight with Max.”
Red Bull began the season with an overweight car, and as they have lightened it over the season that has affected load points and influenced the team’s set-up choices.
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“The weight is an aspect, for sure, but it’s part of the set-up of the car,” said Wache. “At the beginning of the season, we didn’t have the possibility to move the weight.”
“I think it’s everything together and after you find your performance somewhere, and it’s a little bit more tricky to set up the car, it went in the favour of Max,” Wache added. “I think he’s able to drive any car. Now we have to find a way to give a car for Sergio to be performing and to compete. But it’s a together aspect.”
Both Verstappen and Perez have…
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