Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies looks back on another disappointing qualifying session. In Japan, Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar secured eleventh and eighth starting positions respectively. According to Mekies, the upcoming Grand Prix is primarily an opportunity to learn more about the flaws of the RB22. During the subsequent spring break, he wants to put Red Bull to work hard to close the gap to the top teams.
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“We still have a lot of work to do and are still far from where we want to be,” Mekies reacted after qualifying at Suzuka. “Both drivers are having a tough time on the track. The problems we are facing here are not much different from those in China,” he added. Verstappen already spoke on Friday about a lack of grip and balance in the car. By the skin of his teeth, he qualified for the top ten on Saturday, but not much later he was pushed back to P11 by Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad; indicative of the current state of affairs at Red Bull.
Learning process
Mekies’ message for the upcoming Grand Prix-free weeks is clear: work to be done. “I want to thank everyone at the factory. They are working hard to find the causes of these problems and are simultaneously busy looking for the right solutions,” he continued. “It might take some time, but only by digging deep can we face these challenges. We must first understand what is limiting us before we can come back stronger.”
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First, Red Bull still has the main event in Suzuka. In it, Mekies hopes above all to learn. “For the race, the focus is on further understanding the car,” he concluded. “We are going to use all the data we can collect to come up with targeted developments. After all, after this weekend we have a bit more time to further improve the car.”
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Read everything about the Japanese GP here
