Red Bull Grapples with Persistent Understeer for Verstappen in Abu Dhabi
Red Bull's Max Verstappen is battling significant understeer issues in his RB21 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a problem that worsened throughout Friday's practice sessions. This persistent handling challenge is critical for his championship bid against Lando Norris, with Red Bull focusing on resolving the setup ahead of qualifying and the crucial race where Verstappen must overcome a 12-point deficit.
Red Bull's Helmut Marko has confirmed that Max Verstappen's RB21 is suffering from a significant understeer problem at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a persistent issue that worsened after initial practice sessions. Verstappen, a championship contender, lagged behind rival Lando Norris in both Friday practices, struggling particularly in the twisty final sector.
Why it matters:
Max Verstappen's championship hopes hinge on resolving this critical understeer issue. With only the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix remaining, Verstappen needs to outscore Lando Norris by 13 points to secure his fifth consecutive title. A car not performing optimally due to understeer—an issue Verstappen notoriously dislikes—could be the decisive factor in this tight championship battle, potentially handing McLaren their first drivers' title since 2008.
The Details:
- Understeer Woes: Helmut Marko stated that understeer plagued Verstappen's RB21, especially in the challenging Sector 3 of the Yas Marina Circuit. This problem surprisingly affected both push laps and race runs.
- Worsening Condition: Red Bull initially believed the understeer issue had been addressed after FP1, but Marko admitted, 'it only got worse' in FP2.
- Performance Gap: Verstappen was only eight-thousandths of a second slower than Norris in FP1 but dropped to over three-and-a-half tenths adrift in FP2.
- Verstappen's Discomfort: Understeer is a characteristic Verstappen strongly dislikes, making the car's current state particularly concerning for his performance.
- Focus on Race Pace: In contrast to McLaren, Red Bull is prioritizing race trim over outright qualifying pace, believing overtakes are possible on this circuit. However, Marko noted that even race performance 'doesn't look optimal yet'.
The big picture:
This championship decider sees Verstappen 12 points behind Norris. For Verstappen to win the title, he must win the race with Norris finishing no higher than fourth, or outscore him by 13 points. If Norris secures a podium finish, the drivers' crown will return to McLaren for the first time since Lewis Hamilton's inaugural title in 2008. The contrasting strategies of Red Bull (focus on race pace) and McLaren (focus on qualifying) highlight the high stakes and different approaches to this thrilling finale. Resolving the understeer is paramount for Red Bull to keep Verstappen's championship hopes alive.
What's next:
Red Bull engineers will be working tirelessly overnight to address the understeer issue before qualifying. Their success in finding a setup that suits Verstappen and mitigates the car's current deficiencies will be crucial for both qualifying performance and, more importantly, race day. The championship outcome hinges on their ability to 'get the car back on track' and give Verstappen a competitive package to fight Norris.