Red Bull faced unexpected starting positions at their home race in Spielberg, with P7 and P18 in qualifying.
Max Verstappen wasn’t competitive for pole, and Yuki Tsunoda was eliminated in Q1.
Verstappen attributed their struggles to track temperature and wind changes affecting the car’s performance.
The RB21 typically struggles in hot conditions as the rear tyres overheat, impacting long runs against McLaren.
Setup changes didn’t seem to be the issue, but the car fell out of its ideal operating window during qualifying, leading to unexpected results.
Pirelli noted that some teams struggled with tyre management during the hot session, affecting overall performance.
Despite adjustments made after the third practice session, the car didn’t perform as expected in the heat, highlighting the complex interaction between car and tyres in changing conditions.
