In the week leading up to the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, the FIA clarified certain technical regulations through technical directives, a common practice. These directives did not introduce actual changes but provided clarity on existing rules and their intended purposes. One clarification focused on materials around skid blocks and their mounting, crucial for current ground-effect cars in maintaining ride height and passing inspections at skid block areas. Another clarification addressed methods for cooling tyres, specifying what is not permitted in response to queries from a team.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen drew attention to McLaren’s rear tyre management, hinting at potential issues with other teams’ approaches. Despite McLaren missing victory at Imola, Red Bull’s Christian Horner expressed surprise at their performance, while McLaren’s technical director downplayed Red Bull’s perceived upgrade and strength relative to expectations. McLaren emphasized that their approach remained consistent despite external scrutiny, suggesting rivals may be focusing on the wrong areas to the team’s benefit.
The Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix showcased track-specific strengths for Red Bull, with Verstappen noting their competitiveness on high-speed layouts compared to Monaco’s unique challenges. Verstappen remained cautious about extrapolating overall performance trends, highlighting the need to assess each circuit individually. This race-by-race adaptability has been emblematic of Red Bull’s season, where specific tracks have highlighted the team’s strengths effectively.
