Verstappen‘s Race Engineer Highlights Tire Concerns After Friday Practice in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi - Red Bull Racing’s Head of Race Engineering, Gianpiero Lambiase, acknowledged concerns regarding tire performance following Friday’s practice sessions for the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi.While Max Verstappen finished second in the representative second practice, nearly four tenths behind Lando Norris, Lambiase focused on data gathered throughout the day, including a session where young driver Arvid Lindblad took the wheel of Yuki Tsunoda’s car.
“We used Arvid’s time in FP1 to validate some setup parameters we weren’t fully confident in from our simulations,” Lambiase explained in a Red Bull press release. “The data he provided was very consistent and his feedback aligned with our expectations, proving to be very useful.”
Regarding verstappen’s running,Lambiase stated,”It was a productive day overall with Max. We prioritized sustainable driving with higher fuel loads over outright single-lap pace, which will provide valuable data for Sunday’s race. We found the tires to be more fragile than anticipated.”
The primary concern centers around tire degradation. “It appears that graining on the right front tire is a widespread issue across the field,” Lambiase revealed. “We need to analyze how to improve tire lifespan ahead of the race. Wear is also slightly higher than expected,possibly challenging the assumption of a straightforward one-stop strategy. We really need to understand the optimal number of pit stops and how best to manage tire wear.”
Despite the concerns, Lambiase remained optimistic about the team’s approach. “The atmosphere within the team is excellent.We’re maintaining our usual focus and process, as we have for the last nine to ten races. We’ll continue to execute our plan and trust that the results will follow. Max is comfortable in the car, and we’ll fight until the very end.”
