Nightmare Awaits Red Bull as Las Vegas GP Looks Set to Expose Rare Achilles’ Heel

Red Bull, 2023, and Achilles’ Heel. Those are three terms that seemingly shouldn’t have fit in a sentence together. At least not this season, and definitely not with how dominant the RB19 has been. But even the strongest competitors have weaknesses, and Red Bull will be met with a blaring one at the Las Vegas GP in two weeks. As Formula 1 makes its much-awaited return to Sin City after four decades, Red Bull would’ve wanted to have as exciting a time as F1 has promised spectators will. But as it so happens, the Milton-Keynes team may not be as strong in Las Vegas as it has been for the better part of 2023.

To think that Red Bull has won 18 of the 19 races so far this season. Isn’t it just a mind-boggling statistic? And the fact that Max Verstappen won 16 of them? That’s just as crazy. Of all the wins he’s achieved this year, there are a few that were challenging to secure. And a problem he faced at the Canadian GP is likely to rear its head again at Vegas.

Could the Las Vegas GP be another nightmare for Red Bull?

Rewind to the Canadian GP. Verstappen, as usual, looked like he had everything under control after starting from pole. That’s what it seemed like from the outside. But if you’d have been a fly on the Red Bull pit wall, you’d have learned that securing that 41st win was more challenging than Verstappen let on. For someone who’d gotten used to winning races by 20-second margins, the 9.5s he had on Fernando Alonso in P2 raised eyebrows. And it raised concern at Red Bull.

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, on paper—with its long straights and slow-speed corners—should’ve suited Red Bull. But with the combination of cool track temperatures and Red Bull’s low degradation rate (which is ideal in most cases), the tires weren’t heating up enough to go through their heat cycle. And when tires aren’t in the right temperature window, they don’t grip the tarmac well. In the process, maximizing speed and performance becomes a problem.

For the Las Vegas GP, reports suggest that ambient temperatures during the mid-November race weekend will likely go below 10C—as low as 5 degrees. Considering how much Red Bull struggled in Montreal, Vegas could be even worse, especially with much lower temperatures. Again, on paper, the Las Vegas Street Circuit should ideally suit Red Bull. The track has predominantly just straights and slow-speed corners. But the fact that it’s a street circuit could add to Red Bull’s problems further.

Read More: After Max Verstappen’s Alarming Observation, Sergio Perez Exposes a Major Chink in Red Bull’s Impenetrable Armor

Which is the one race Red Bull lost this season? Singapore, on a street track. Its performances in Monaco and Azerbaijan weren’t too great either. Going into Singapore, Red Bull knew it’d be tricky. But no one expected just how bad it was. As the Las Vegas GP nears, the Milton-Keynes team has two things to worry about—the cool temperatures as well as the track’s nature. Could it be another Singapore, leading to another team clinching victory? We’ll know in two weeks’ time.  The question is: Can Ferrari be the one to take victory again?

If Haas is confident, can Ferrari be as well?

When Motorsport.com asked teams about the low temperatures in Vegas, Haas’ Director of Engineering Ayao Komatsu seemed positive. They believe the temperatures would help Haas. Considering it’ll be the team’s home race, Haas will definitely take it. Komatsu said, “It’s a very different temperature window, so we’ve got to get the tires to work. But if I had to choose hot or cold, I’d choose cold conditions at this minute! So hopefully, we can get it to work.” 

Another team that isn’t opposed to cool temperatures is Ferrari (whose engine Haas uses). On the grid, the Scuderia has one of the worst tire degradation rates. That seemed to work for it in Canada, whose drivers started in P10 and P11 and finished in P4 and P5. and Ferrari isn’t too bad on street circuits. If Carlos Sainz’s Singapore GP win (and Ferrari’s high degradation) is anything to go by, Ferrari could very well be Red Bull’s biggest threat once more.

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Do you think Red Bull would’ve sorted out its tire temperature issues after the Canadian GP? Or are Verstappen & Co. going into Las Vegas just as doubtful as they were going into Singapore?