Leading up to the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League, the Red Bull Ring has proven to be more favorable to Max Verstappen and Red Bull compared to Barcelona. Verstappen’s advantage over Lando Norris in sprint qualifying was just under 0.1s, but this was achieved with a suboptimal preparation lap on the soft tires. On the medium tires used in earlier qualifying sessions, Verstappen’s lead was around 0.3-0.4s.
The reason behind Red Bull’s stronger performance at the Red Bull Ring lies in its aero efficiency, particularly when utilizing the DRS system. The track’s drag sensitivity allows Red Bull to run with a slightly larger rear wing than McLaren. This enables Red Bull to regain any lost ground to McLaren in the non-DRS sections of the straights, while benefiting from greater downforce in the slower corners.
Verstappen and Norris were separated by a mere 0.093s, with Verstappen posting the fastest times in sectors 1 and 3, while Norris excelled in sector 2. Analysis of their GPS traces reveals that McLaren gains an advantage at the start of each straight due to its lower wing. However, once in the DRS zone, Red Bull dominates. The Red Bull Ring features a significantly higher percentage of the lap dedicated to DRS compared to Barcelona.
Norris performs well in sector 2 because the straight between Turns 3 and 4 is short enough that his gains early on are balanced with his losses in the DRS section. He also excels in Turn 4 and maintains a higher minimum speed through Turn 6 compared to Verstappen. On the other hand, Verstappen gains time on Norris in sectors 1 and 3, with his exceptional speed through the sixth gear Turn 7 playing a crucial role.
Verstappen praises the balanced performance of his car, stating that only minor adjustments were needed for sprint qualifying. This stands in contrast to the significant setup changes required in previous races at Imola and Barcelona. The Red Bull team benefits from a combination of factors: a track that rewards its aero efficiency, arriving at the track with an optimal setup, and Verstappen’s exceptional commitment through Turn 7.
Despite these advantages, Verstappen’s lead over Norris remains less than 0.1s, highlighting the consistent speed of the McLaren. In the other McLaren, Oscar Piastri makes a solid comeback from his difficulties in Barcelona, securing third place in qualifying.
Mercedes, on the other hand, falls slightly short, with George Russell qualifying fourth, over 0.35s behind. Russell struggles to find grip, particularly in the low-speed corners. Lewis Hamilton’s qualifying is compromised by damage to his car’s floor caused by running over the Turn 1 kerbs in the earlier qualifying session. Despite the damage, Hamilton manages to outpace Russell in sectors 1 and 3, suggesting he could have achieved a faster time without the setback.
Ferrari also faces challenges, with only Carlos Sainz setting a qualifying time, placing fifth. Charles Leclerc experiences an engine issue in the pitlane, preventing him from completing a qualifying lap. The Ferrari performs well in the middle sector but lags behind in the first and third sectors. Sainz acknowledges the team’s struggle with the soft tires, losing significant time compared to their competitors.
Sergio Perez, in seventh place, faces delays caused by Esteban Ocon’s incident during the outlap, affecting both Perez and Pierre Gasly. In earlier qualifying sessions, Perez was closer to Verstappen’s pace, rather than the significant gap shown on the official grid.