P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Red Bull’s engine swap for Max Verstappen has come under intense scrutiny from their F1 rivals.
Red Bull’s engine swap for Max Verstappen at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix has sparked questions from their main F1 rival, McLaren.
McLaren is questioning if this engine change will count towards Red Bull’s 2025 cost cap in Formula 1.
After a challenging qualifying, Red Bull opted to change several components in Verstappen’s car, resulting in a pitlane start but a remarkable third-place finish for the four-time world champion in Brazil.
The tactics employed by Red Bull have triggered a debate on F1’s cost cap regulations, with McLaren’s team principal, Andrea Stella, expressing interest in how the new engine’s cost will be treated.
Sky Sports F1 pitlane reporter Ted Kravitz and fellow pundit Bernie Collins downplayed the controversy, suggesting that engine changes and pitlane starts are common strategies in F1 to potentially gain an advantage.
Red Bull made setup adjustments for Verstappen after struggles in the sprint race, leading to a challenging qualifying session but ultimately unlocking performance for a strong race result.
