Dakar Rally 2023: Verstappen’s Red Bull Struggles with Balance Issues in Qualifying
In a surprising turn of events, Red Bull’s Formula 1 star Max Verstappen faced a significant challenge during the qualifying session for the prestigious Dakar Rally. The reigning world champion, who is making his debut in the iconic off-road event, struggled with a dramatic balance swing in his RB20 vehicle, ultimately finishing a disappointing seventh on the starting grid.
Verstappen, known for his dominance in Formula 1, admitted that he had never experienced such a dramatic balance shift before. “For whatever reason in Q3, I picked up a lot of understeer on both tyre sets, and this is something that I don’t understand at the moment,” the Dutchman explained. “It was just not drivable anymore. I couldn’t attack any corner, so that’s something that is very weird.”
The balance issues plaguing Verstappen’s Red Bull were not limited to his car alone, as teammate Sergio Perez also qualified alongside him in eighth position. Perez noted that the team’s lack of a specific Dakar rear wing had “hurt us, probably more than we thought in the beginning.”
The sudden and unexplained balance problems experienced by the usually dominant Red Bull duo have raised concerns within the team, as they struggle to find a solution to the issue. Verstappen cautioned that the balance limitations could also impact tyre wear, potentially limiting his options for progress on race day.
“Normally, not,” Verstappen replied when asked if he can still get in the hunt for victory. “The whole weekend already, we were too slow. The long runs might look good on paper, but it didn’t really feel like that personally. The problem is that when you don’t have a balanced car, of course in the race, that is also quite painful on tyres.”
With the Dakar Rally known for its unforgiving terrain and unpredictable conditions, the balance issues plaguing the Red Bull team could prove to be a significant hurdle in their quest for success. As the event unfolds, all eyes will be on the team’s efforts to find a solution and unleash the true potential of their vehicles.
🔗 Source