Mercedes technical director James Allison recently suggested that Red-Bull’s updates to their RB20 car may have inadvertently slowed it down. A comment made during the Canadian Grand Prix. Allison remarked, “It does look as if their upgrade was a downgrade. So, fingers crossed that would really mess them up. That [an upgrade not working] makes life hard because the moment you stop trusting your tools, you have to backtrack, and you lose loads of time. Time is your biggest friend; losing it is your worst enemy.”
However, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner couldn’t resist a retort after Red Bull emerged victorious in Canada. Despite Mercedes’ George Russell securing a third-place finish after starting from pole position. “Even with our downgrade, we managed to beat their upgrade,” quipped Horner. “It was a rewarding race to win.”
Max Verstappen’s victory in Montreal was particularly notable as Red Bull had anticipated a challenging weekend due to the track’s kerb-riding demands. Horner expressed satisfaction with the win, drawing parallels to their success at Imola. Which also presented potential difficulties for Red Bull.
“The last couple of races have been more choppy waters for us, but we have still managed to win two out of the last three races,” Horner explained. “We had a pole in Imola, and we managed to match the pole time here with a car that both drivers are feeling its deficiencies. So there is a lot of focus on that to see if we can improve.”
Looking ahead, Horner acknowledged that upcoming circuits emphasizing aerodynamic performance might be more favorable for Red Bull. “We know there are circuits later in the year like Singapore where ride issues could be a factor. But we really expect Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes – who came into that window this weekend – to be competitive at every circuit.”
Despite Mercedes’ strong performance in Canada, Horner was cautious about declaring them fully back in contention. “Mercedes have always gone well on green circuits, and there are no real high-speed corners here,” he said. “So with the asphalt change, it played possibly to their strengths. Let’s see over the next three tracks if it is genuine form or if it’s a one-off.”
Horner’s comments underscore the competitive dynamics between the top teams and highlight Red Bull’s confidence in overcoming perceived setbacks to maintain their edge in the championship race.
