Max Verstappen remains undefeated on the Spanish asphalt for three years in a row. After securing his seventh win of the season, Verstappen is still at the top of the table. Despite this, when compared to Lando Norris’ McLaren, he was comparatively slower. Who analyzed that? Well, ardent F1 fans and, of course, pundit Peter Windsor.

The ex-Ferrari boss said, “He wasn’t very quick in a straight line in Barcelona.” This facilitated Norris to catch up on Verstappen comprehensively. And if Lando “really got near him right into DRS in those last few laps,” Max could’ve been outperformed easily. “They had to be very careful of that engine,” remarked Peter Windsor.  He explained that maybe Red Bull had the engine turned down, which made Max’s car slower in the straights. The expert further pointed to another issue, which is causing trouble for Red Bull.

Recently, Peter Windsor addressed Red Bull’s new problem on his YouTube channel. While answering questions in a live session, Windsor replied: “They had already said Strat 20, I think to Max, hadn’t they? Or Strat 12? It would have been strapped 400 horsepower, another 100 horsepower for you.” For those who don’t know, a strat is a rotary dial that is used to control power unit modes, like the performance of the internal combustion engine.

Grappling with a crucial power unit issue, Christian Horner‘s team is now about to face a 10-place grid penalty at the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend. Verstappen could face major setbacks in the race, but considering his dynamics, anything anyone says would be just speculation. So, what is this new issue that Red Bull is dealing with?

Max Verstappen has run out of his fixed four internal combustion engines

According to the current FIA regulations, Max Verstappen has exhausted his quota of four internal combustion engines since the Spanish GP. Any new addition, i.e., any installation of new engines, would directly send him ten places down the grid. This is a significant obstruction in the ever-speeding sport of Formula 1.

Had he not faced this issue at the Spanish GP, he would’ve had “400 horsepower” more than what he had. And for Lando Norris to overtake him or outqualify him would’ve been a near-impossible dream. But even with low power for the RB20, Verstappen carried on through the race, ultimately winning it. Some experts have pointed out that Red Bull slows down the cars during practice sessions and speeds them up in qualifying and in the main race. “They made it quicker than it had been in FP1,” Windsor also noted. Overall, Red Bull was on the edge in the Spanish Grand Prix and chose to take no risks, which led them to the situation they are in right now.

Will one call this a strategic setback? Or is it simply a way of being on the safe side, at the cost of sending their No.1 down the grid in Spielberg? The bigger picture here still remains uncertain. At present, the Red Bull Ring is ready for the Styrian Grand Prix. The game is on, and what Verstappen does at their home race will be a sight worth anticipating. Peter Windsor’s analysis gives an insight into the unseen side of RB’s Spanish GP campaign.

What are your takes on this? Let us know in the comments.