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Red Bull Racing’s performance spike at the Miami Grand Prix comes after months of intense engineering challenges rooted in Max Verstappen’s early concerns. While Verstappen finished fifth, the RB22 showed significant speed improvements thanks to a resolved steering issue that had plagued the team since pre-season testing. Technical director Pierre Wache reveals that diagnosing and fixing this hidden problem was a complex process that required replacing the entire steering rack and several associated components.
Despite Verstappen flagging the issue during the first shakedown in Barcelona, pinpointing its source took longer than expected, causing frustration within the team. Wache admitted, “I'm sorry that we didn't fix it before,” highlighting delays in part arrivals. The team identified the root cause just before the April break, which allowed for timely production of the necessary components.
Additionally, Red Bull's upgrades played a crucial role in their Miami performance. Revised sidepods, a new floor, and an innovative rotating rear wing concept helped close the gap to competitors like McLaren and Ferrari. Wache noted that the development process for these enhancements was lengthy, but their successful implementation marks a turning point for Red Bull’s season.
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