Red Bull surprised everyone with a dominant race day at Imola – technical director Pierre Wache explains how a setup tweak suddenly made the car competitive
Max Verstappen surprisingly dominated the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola – but the four-time world champion remains cautious: the strong race pace of his Red Bull may have been more a result of the track characteristics than a sustained breakthrough.
“I hope we can show performances like this more often – but it’s not yet clear whether it’s really down to our progress or more to do with the track,” Verstappen explained after the race. The fast corners at Imola particularly suited the RB20. The Dutchman is dampening expectations for the upcoming weekend in Monaco, a track with almost exclusively slow corners: “Last year was very difficult for us there – I don’t expect it to suddenly be much easier now.”
Red Bull surprises itself – Verstappen cruises to a commanding victory
The victory in Imola came as a surprise to Verstappen and Red Bull in its clarity. After a mixed Friday practice and initially strong long-run data at McLaren, the traditional British racing team was considered the favorite. But Verstappen snatched Oscar Piastri with a decisive maneuver in turn one and controlled the race from there on.
The fact that he not only led the race but also managed his tires and pace with confidence came as a surprise to many, including team boss Christian Horner: “Max just had the pace. It never felt like we were under pressure,” said the Briton.
An important factor was that the Red Bull was easier on its tires over the distance than the McLaren. Horner explained that the team had found a much better window for the car thanks to new parts and an improved setup. “Max was already very happy with the balance in practice, and that carried over into qualifying and Sunday. He managed the tires extremely well, especially in the first stint, while also building up a lead.”
Technical progress or favorable circumstances?
For technical director Pierre Wache, Sunday’s race was a kind of liberation – but not one he intends to rest on. When asked whether the updates were a big step forward, he responded with his usual restraint: “I’m not sure if it was a big step forward – but it was an improvement in the right direction.”
According to Wache, the key was better car setup, especially in conjunction with tire performance on the hotter asphalt. “The wear was completely different here than it was on Friday – and that may have helped us more than other teams.”
However, Wache also openly admits that Red Bull currently has a car with a very narrow working window – even the smallest setup changes can have a big impact. The challenge lies in achieving this consistency across different track types. And even though they were able to clearly position themselves ahead of McLaren in Imola, Wache remains skeptical: “I have no confidence anywhere. We were good in Japan, but we were destroyed in Bahrain and Miami. There are no guarantees.”
McLaren: Progress noticeable at Red Bull – no excuses for defeat
At McLaren, on the other hand, there was no disappointment after the race, but surprise at the clear defeat. Team boss Andrea Stella was full of praise for Red Bull’s performance: “We knew it would be closer than in Miami on this type of track, but Red Bull was just very strong. Congratulations to Max and the team – they deserved this victory.” They had expected the higher temperatures and tire conditions to play into McLaren’s hands. “But today, the opposite was the case,” Stella admitted.
He sees two main reasons for the defeat: on the one hand, Red Bull has made real progress with its latest updates, and on the other hand, the track layout with its many fast corners suited McLaren less than, for example, the twisty track in Miami. “Our strength lies in other areas of aerodynamics – not necessarily in high-speed combinations like in Imola.”
Monaco is the next test – hopes for closer conditions
All eyes are now on the traditional city race in Monaco. Verstappen loves the challenge of the narrow track, but he also knows that the characteristics of the circuit could once again prove problematic for Red Bull. “I love driving in Monaco, but it has never been our strongest track.”
“We’ll try to get the best out of it, of course, but I’m expecting a difficult weekend,” said the world champion. Team boss Horner added: ”Monaco is always a race in a class of its own. It’s not necessarily representative of the rest of the calendar.”
McLaren is also hoping for a return to its former strength in Monte Carlo. Andrea Stella emphasizes that the team will analyze the data from Imola closely, but sees good chances of being competitive again on tighter terrain – especially in qualifying, which is traditionally decisive in Monaco.
