Red Bull’s remarkable form in the ground effect era continued at the Chinese Grand Prix as Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez secured 1-3 finishes in both the Sprint and Grand Prix itself at the weekend in Shanghai.
The Dutch driver won the Sprint by 13s, following it up the next day as he took victory by 13.7s to bring his career total to 58. Sergio Perez had to battle through traffic in both races to finish 3rd, including that fantastic opportunistic move on Alonso and Sainz as they battled hard in the Sprint.
With their engineering team also doing a tremendous job in getting the car in the right window for the dry conditions and the pit crew delivering 2.1s, 2.0s, 1.9s, 2.0s stops during Sunday’s race, it was close to perfection for Red Bull Racing, as Team Principal Christian Horner spoke about.
“It’s been a phenomenal weekend for us.
“I mean, to not only win the Sprint race, but to get the front row lock out and then win the race and a 1-3 podium as well.
“It has been really very, very impressive from the whole team. I think the way the team has performed, if you look at everything from strategy to pit stops, the double stop at the first stop where both cars on my timing were sub 2 seconds.
“It’s been a very, very impressive display.”
The one small negative for the Milton Keynes-based squad was Sergio Perez missing out on P2 in Sunday’s race.
Red Bull went relatively aggressive on strategy, with Perez and Verstappen pitting at the end of lap 14 to confirm they were on a 2-stopper. While the Dutchman overtook the 1-stopping Norris and Leclerc, Perez did not catch them before the Safety Car to clear the pair.
The vast majority of the field boxed for hards to go to the end as Valtteri Bottas’ Sauber needed removing, leaving the Mexican behind the aforementioned drivers in P4.
Perez eventually passed Leclerc for P3 at turn 6 on lap 39. But he used too much tyre in the dirty air behind the Ferrari driver to go and hunt down Norris.
Horner explained the strategy and how the Safety Car cost them a 1-2.
“I think the only thing we got unlucky — but that’s just racing — is we were on a reasonably aggressive 2-stop, which was the fastest race. And it looked like Lando and Charles had committed to a 1-stop.
“And then when the Safety Car came out at just the wrong time, we effectively had to convert to go onto the same strategy as them for the second half of the race, which lost Checo position. So he dropped behind Lando and Charles.
“And I think probably pushing hard to pass Charles, maybe took too much out of the tyre at that point, which then didn’t leave him enough to have a go at Lando at the end.“I think without the Safety Car, it would have been a 1-2, but nonetheless an amazing performance.”
Coming into the weekend, as it was expected to be a front-limited track, Ferrari had been predicted to be very strong after a 1-2 in Melbourne following Verstappen’s retirement.
However, Red Bull dominated with Verstappen in both races as Ferrari laboured to P4 and P5 in the Sprint and main event.
Horner credited the drivers and engineers for the job they did again.
“We’ve not done badly at the other circuits. So I think that the layout here, it’s got a little bit of everything. And again, I think the engineering team did a great job.
“Effectively, you got one change that you’re allowed after the Sprint race into quali.
“And Max just continues his momentum. And again, a really clinical race from him.
“And Checo as well to have taken another podium. As I say, he just got a little unlucky with the safety car timing.”
Red Bull brought an update to Japan, focusing on the sidepod inlets.
After a difficult Australian Grand Prix weekend where Max Verstappen retired and Sergio Perez was only P5, they’ve hit back in style as the three-time World Champion was totally dominant at Suzuka and Shanghai.
Horner does not believe the Japan upgrade is a game-changer, rather that the dominant performances came because of the layout of the Asian venues.
“I think it’s probably track-specific because it may well be we go to the next race and it concertinas again and then we’ll probably do that.
“We’ve not raced in really hot temperatures yet or anything like that. So there’s still an awful lot of variables.
“But across the different circuits that we’ve had, the RB20 is delivering.
“And the drivers — particularly Max — are doing an outstanding job.”
Between the 2019 and 2024 editions of the Chinese Grand Prix, Verstappen was victorious in 53 of the 106 races. 38 of those have come since the ground effect cars came in for 2022.
Horner heaped praised on his lead driver.
“He’s just a metronome.
“Again, the pace that he showed last year, he’s just continued that through.
“I think since the last Chinese Grand Prix, he’s won 50% of all the races. He’s won 21 out of the last 23 races.
“He’s in fantastic form. He’s at one with the car and one with the team and enjoying his racing.”
Put to him that fans in Verstappen’s home country of the Netherlands are even finding the dominance boring, Horner was quick to remind them about not taking his success for granted.
After winning a fourth straight Drivers’ Championship with Sebastian Vettel in 2013, it took Red Bull another 8 years to achieve glory as Verstappen took his first championship in extraordinary circumstances in Abu Dhabi.
“I think you have to appreciate success. Max is a special talent. It’s a golden moment for him.
“As we’ve seen with every single driver, it doesn’t last forever. I think it’s enjoying the moment, being in the moment.
“There’s no guarantees that we’ll be able to give him a car like this every year for the next five years.
“So it’s doing what you can, while you can.”
Following the Shanghai weekend, Verstappen leads teammate Perez by 25 points in the Drivers’ Championship, with Red Bull Racing now 44 clear of Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship.
