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What Oracle Red Bull Racing’s upgrades mean for the British Grand Prix
Oracle Red Bull Racing rolled out key upgrades before a successful weekend in Austria. Here’s how they impacted Max Verstappen and why they could help at Silverstone.
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Oracle Red Bull Racing has brought car upgrade packages to a few race weekends this season. Most recently, ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, the team made significant changes to both Max Verstappen's and Isack Hadjar’s cars, with positive effects. But what exactly were those changes, how did they help Verstappen finish on the podium and what does it mean for Silverstone this weekend?
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The changes Oracle Red Bull Racing made in Austria
Racing in front of a sea of orange at the Red Bull Ring, Verstappen delivered his best result of the season as he finished in second place. It was an important moment for the four-time world champion and the team in general, with the car clearly showing signs of improvement thanks to the upgrades.
According to Document 14, the official information released to all teams about changes to cars ahead of a Grand Prix weekend, adjustments to seven separate components were made to Verstappen’s car ahead of the home race in Spielberg.
Explaining what parts have been altered and why, the teams can add information about how the changes will help. The document helps all teams, media, and fans understand exactly what the upgrades are, without speculating on what’s changed.
The car upgrades helped Verstappen finish on the podium in Spielberg
© Jörg Mitter/Red Bull Ring
A full list of upgrades made to Verstappen's car
- Sidepod Inlet: Revised sidepod inlet geometry extending downwards and rearwards.
- Engine Cover: Revised sidepod panels to meet the new inlet geometry, then following the floor junction profile.
- Floor: Subtle revisions to the surfaces, including forward floor as well as the junction line with the top body.
- Rear Suspension: Reprofiled fairings and junctions to the tail/gearbox and into the rear wheel bodywork.
- Rear Corner: Revised for the rear suspension fairings and attendant winglets.
- Rear Wing: Revised pylon profiles.
- Exhaust Tailpipe: Revised overlap between the tailpipe exit profile and the supporting tailpipe bracket.
More details on what the upgrade changes can be found in the report, but many were made to improve local load and performance. That will change how the car feels and how weight shifts as the driver moves around the track. For such a fast-paced track like Austria, these changes were very impactful, giving drivers more control.
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What those in F1 are saying about the upgrades
Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Principal Laurent Mekies praised both Verstappen’s performance and the impact of the upgrades, telling F1TV: “We knew we had made a step forward with the new package. It's a very, very strong race, probably undoubtedly the strongest race we have done this season and, as we discussed after Qualifying, it was visible the progress was there but difficult to put a number on it.
"To see us getting so close to the ultimate pace needed to win here on a difficult track in very hot weather is a good witness of how much work went on in Milton Keynes and how strong Max was really in all phases of the race.”
Even Lewis Hamilton was impressed by the Red Bull Racing upgrades
© Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
Drivers on other teams also noticed the significant changes to the car. Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton said: The weight that they dropped from the car is huge. 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.”
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Why the British Grand Prix presents a fresh challenge
Lower weight, improved load and better performance were upgrades that gave Verstappen a better chance of finishing strongly in Austria, and he took full advantage. However, Silverstone will present a very different challenge for the Dutch driver due to the make up of the track.
Asked about the British Grand Prix following his successful race in Austria, he said: “I love the track, but I did a few laps on the simulator; I just started laughing,” suggesting the car didn’t perform as well as it did at the weekend. “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.
Silverstone presents a fresh challenge for Verstappen's upgraded car
© Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
“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.”
Realistic about his chances of success, Verstappen will arrive at the circuit full of confidence after his impressive drive in Austria. There’s also a chance that other teams will have similar problems due to Silverstone being a longer track with fewer long straights. Therefore, drivers have fewer chances to charge and deploy battery power at optimal times.
If the field is levelled out by this issue, then Verstappen has shown time and again that in a competitive car, he is always a threat.
The British Grand Prix weekend sees the Sprint race take place on Saturday, July 4 at 11am UTC before Sunday’s main event at 2pm UTC on July 5.
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