RB plans Miami upgrade to keep “surfing on the top” of midfield fight

The Faenza-based squad has found itself locked in an intense fight with Haas for supremacy of the five-squad chasing pack that is behind F1’s top teams of Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes and Aston Martin.

The current competitiveness of the F1 grid means that there are scant few points on offer for the bottom five teams, meaning Haas and RB have to pull out all the stops to capitalise on any opportunities that come their way.

RB currently leads that private battle from Haas, having scored seven points so far this year to its rival’s five, but a double DNF in China proved costly in not allowing it to stretch its advantage.

With so little performance difference between teams, any gains are critical, which is why RB has elected to bring some developments to Miami despite it being a sprint event.

Speaking to Motorsport.com about the midfield battle, team boss Laurent Mekies said: “We’ll have an update in Miami to help us try to keep surfing on the top of that very edge.

“There is nothing guaranteed in this group. I’m sure our competitors will bring updates as well and only if you nail the weekend will you get to that P10.”

RB has appeared to have the pace edge over Haas at times this season, but its rival has managed to bring home a decent stack of points.

Mekies said the margins between the two teams were so small, though, that he had no confidence to state that his squad was in control of the fight.

“We have never been confident that we have the quickest car of the five [teams at the back],” said Mekies.

“We got it there by half a tenth in Australia, half a tenth in Japan and we missed it by a 10th and a half in China. In the race, we were probably equal, or if not half a tenth ahead. So we have never had any confidence. It’s a battle every time.

“But it’s a fantastic exercise for everyone. It’s superb training for the team to execute sharp weekends, and you need a strong race from every perspective

“It’s only by doing that you will get a point. As soon as one of these elements, be it tyre management, strategy, or anything, falls off the cliff, you will give up that point.”