VCARB 01 Upgrades Fail to Lift RB’s Fortunes in Spain

The VCARB 01, featuring significant enhancements, made its debut in Spain but failed to propel Red Bull Racing closer to the top teams. Despite a new rear wing design, revamped underbody, and updated sidepods, the team slipped down the competitive order at the Spanish Grand Prix.

During qualifying, the signs were ominous as both drivers faced early exits in Q1. Yuki Tsunoda qualified 17th, with Daniel Ricciardo just behind in 18th place. The race itself turned into a struggle for damage control. Tsunoda could not advance, finishing in 19th position, while Ricciardo managed a modest climb to 15th, well off the leading pace throughout the weekend.

Emergency Measures Considered

Post-race, Daniel Ricciardo addressed the team’s situation, emphasizing the need for patience before considering reverting the upgrade: “I think that temptation probably only exists maybe in 72 hours. If we’re still unsure or there’s no clear answer then maybe we say: ‘Okay, do we just for the time being go back?’ But right now I’m not there yet to resort to that.”

Despite the lack of pace, Ricciardo noted that his car felt mechanically sound and highlighted the team’s quest for solutions: “It was a really, really strange weekend for us to have dropped off so much. I didn’t have a bad feeling in qualifying. In the debrief Yuki and myself both felt we did good laps, we felt like the balance wasn’t bad. I think we simply lacked the load and we probably don’t really get everything out of the new package.”

Data Analysis Underway

Looking ahead, Ricciardo plans to meticulously analyze race data: “I’ve got plenty of notes and feedback from the race. The next 48-72 hours [we have] lots of things to look at.”

Persistent Issues

In contrast, Yuki Tsunoda cited persistent issues affecting his performance, expressing concerns about handling and balance: “There was a clear issue in the beginning and for sure that was compromised a little bit, for especially second stint. We were able to solve it at least in steering, but I’m not sure it was fixed completely because I was feeling so weird inside the car. The pace was nowhere, I struggled with the balance, everything. For sure there was something wrong going on there.”

Looking Forward

Following their point-less outing in Spain, Red Bull heads into the Austrian Grand Prix weekend positioned sixth in the constructors’ championship, holding a 20-point lead over Alpine.