Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images
VCARB hopes to hit the summer shutdown on a high note
The final race before Formula 1’s summer shutdown has arrived.
And this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix could be transformative for the grid, including Visa Cash App RB F1 Team.
With speculation surrounding Sergio Pérez and his status at Red Bull, VCARB’s two drivers will look to put in one last strong performance, bolstering their resumes should Red Bull decide to make a change.
Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo are both confident heading into the Belgian Grand Prix and believe that recent strong performances from the team should translate at Spa.
“We really turned things around in Hungary,” said Tsunoda in the team’s preview of the Belgian Grand Prix. “The whole team worked very hard to give us an improved car and we were particularly happy with how we managed the [tires] in the race, which meant we were the only car to make a one-stop strategy work, that was really the key to score points. It was brilliant strategy and teamwork!
“That last race was a real confidence boost, so I’m keen to see what we can do in Spa which is obviously a very different type of track. Driving Spa is always special and I particularly enjoy the elevation changes, the way the track climbs and drops, which we don’t experience at many tracks during the year,” added Tsunoda. “Most of the corners are high speed, very challenging, kind of old school. We often get mixed conditions in terms of the weather, it could be a bit like the weekend in Silverstone, where we did a lot of laps in the wet, so that gives me confidence if we have rain this time.”
Ricciardo — who expressed some frustration at the team’s strategy during the Hungarian Grand Prix — kept his comments short and to the point.
“After a tough Sunday in Budapest, I’m looking forward to Spa even more,” said Ricciardo. “We showed a good turn of speed last week, so I’m confident we can continue that in Belgium and push for points on Sunday.”
Team Principal Laurent Mekies viewed the Hungarian Grand Prix as a turning point for the season, even if it was not a “perfect” weekend.
“The team turned a corner in Hungary, competitive once again after a few challenging races. Therefore it’s good that we have one more opportunity this weekend in Belgium before the summer break to confirm a return to the form we showed earlier in the season,” said Mekies.
“Last weekend wasn’t perfect though, but I believe we should focus on the positives: good pace right from Friday, both cars in Q3, dominating the midfield once again, which has always been our stated aim for this season,” continued Mekies. “The only teams that finished ahead of Yuki last Sunday were the top four. As usual, Spa will ask its tough questions, with its unique high speed nature, the length of the lap and the variable weather. We need to further step up and get a good result, so that we can carry a positive mindset into the holidays and on to the second part of the championship.”
At the moment VCARB sits sixth in the standings, enjoying a six-point lead over Haas in the F1 Constructors’ Championship. While the team would love to build on that lead with a strong performance in Belgium, many in the F1 world will wonder if the driver lineup that takes the grid in Spa will be the same driver lineup that returns to the circuit following the summer shutdown.
