Source: REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
[Saba Sports News] The conclusion of the 2024 F1
Australian Grand Prix witnessed a setback for the Red Bull Racing Team.
Following defending champion Max Verstappen’s retirement due to a jammed right
rear tire brake, the team’s second driver, Sergio Perez, experienced a decline
in lap times and ultimately finished in fifth place, missing out on a podium
finish. After the race, the Red Bull technical team conducted an inspection,
and team consultant Dr. Helmut Marko identified the cause behind Perez’s lap
time drop. It was discovered that during an overtaking maneuver on Fernando
Alonso, another driver’s goggle lens film became dislodged and got stuck in a
sensitive area of Perez’s car’s chassis. This resulted in a loss of
approximately 20 points of downforce, affecting the car’s performance. However,
it is also being considered whether there may be a flaw in the car’s chassis
design. During the race, Perez had reported via team radio that his car’s
balance was off, which directly impacted the rapid degradation of his tires.
Some knowledgeable car enthusiasts speculate that the lens film might have
become stuck in a Venturi channel located underneath the car’s bottom plate,
hindering airflow and causing balance issues.