Formula 1 Italian GP
Red Bull explains top speed drop at Italian GP
Red Bull has explained its lack of top speed at Monza despite the RB18 often running as the fastest Formula 1 car in a straight line so far in 2022.
Matt Kew
Edited: Sep 10, 2022, 2:48 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
In contrast to its first eight seasons running under the hybrid powertrain regulations, Red Bull has been consistently strong at high-speed tracks following the return of ground-effects.
At Jeddah (qualifying and race) and Miami (qualifying), the brace of RB18s were the faster cars through the designated speed traps.
But at Monza, the Red Bull is second from the bottom, only 1mph ahead of slowest Haas while it trailed straightline standout Ferrari by 6mph as the home team topped the lot.
Data Motorsport.com has seen reveals Red Bull is faster than Ferrari from the sprint out of the first chicane through Curva Grande, the second chicane, Ascari and out of the final corner previously known as Parabolica.
However, Ferrari is more effective at its battery deployment to produce greater top speeds on the straights.
Red Bull technical director Pierre Wache revealed that the comparatively low speeds were down to a deliberately higher downforce rear wing configuration.
When asked by Motorsport.com for an explanation, he said: "I think it is not due to the engine, for sure.
"It is clearly due to the level of drag we run on the car. It looks like, relative to the others, higher.
"As you saw, we didn't change the rear wings compared to the other tracks. The others changed, and then [that impacts] the top speed range."
This comes despite Red Bull bringing a low-drag rear wing with a trimmed flap for Monza, while Ferrari is fielding a revised beam wing.
Wache added: "We defined the season and divided the season by three rear wings, and we control around these three rear wings.
"Sure, the beam wing is also part of it as other teams are doing.
Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB18
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
"But we develop the car around that, for different reasons: for the efficiency in terms of downforce for sure. But also efficiency in terms of budget."
Red Bull has previous for this tactic at Monza, with Sebastian Vettel winning the 2013 Italian Grand Prix by deploying a short seventh gear ratio and greater downforce to better accelerate out of the corners to spend less time on the straights in total despite carrying less speed.
As per Wache, Red Bull has ruled out turning down the tune in response to Max Verstappen's five-place grid penalty, with the reigning champion taking a new internal combustion engine.
According to team boss Christian Horner, this followed advice from supplier Honda.
He said: "We've elected to take this penalty here on the advice of our engine partner.
"Five places here isn't too draconian, so to have that extra engine added into our pool for the remaining seven races we just thought strategically is the right thing to be doing."
Verstappen is not expected to take any further component changes that will lead to penalties.
Read Also:
- Why Red Bull thinks it isn’t ‘completely mad’ to do its own F1 engine
- Horner suggests Honda could help 2026 Red Bull F1 engine project
- Ferrari chairman backs Binotto but F1 team "needs to improve"
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Italian GP qualifying as it happened
Next article Italian GP: Verstappen leads Leclerc and Perez in final F1 practice
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Matt Kew
Marko suggests Perez's improved F1 form because 2025 contract at stake
Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Marko suggests Perez's improved F1 form because 2025 contract at stake
Russell explains how low-fuel runs expose Mercedes F1 inconsistency
Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Russell explains how low-fuel runs expose Mercedes F1 inconsistency
Leclerc: No answer for "once in a season" Japan F1 qualifying struggle
Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Leclerc: No answer for "once in a season" Japan F1 qualifying struggle
More from
Red Bull Racing
Christian Horner clears air on “dream job” Ferrari rumours and sets return terms
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
6 h
Christian Horner clears air on “dream job” Ferrari rumours and sets return terms
Christian Horner “wasn’t given a reason” for his “painful” Red Bull exit after Dietrich Mateschitz’s death
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
9 h
Christian Horner “wasn’t given a reason” for his “painful” Red Bull exit after Dietrich Mateschitz’s death
Latest news
Five key takeaways from F1's big African Grand Prix reveal in Rwanda
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1 48 min
Five key takeaways from F1's big African Grand Prix reveal in Rwanda
Niels Koolen makes switch to Abel Motorsports ahead of 2027 Indy NXT campaign
Indy NXT
IndL Indy NXT 2 h
Niels Koolen makes switch to Abel Motorsports ahead of 2027 Indy NXT campaign
GT World Challenge Portimao: All you need to know about season finale featuring Max Verstappen
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance
WCEE GT World Challenge Europe Endurance 2 h
GT World Challenge Portimao: All you need to know about season finale featuring Max Verstappen
13 Autosport retains unchanged lineup for 2027 IMSA campaign, eyes global expansion
IMSA
IMSA IMSA 3 h
13 Autosport retains unchanged lineup for 2027 IMSA campaign, eyes global expansion
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe