Lewis Hamilton expects Red Bull to regain its 30-second lead over the box in Japan, and if it doesn’t, then anything is happening.
Despite suffering last Friday’s practice in Singapore, few believed that Red Bull, which had claimed all 14 Grand Prix wins so far in F1 2023, was in fact suffering.
This was confirmed, however, with a double elimination in Q2, with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz becoming the first non-Red Bull race winner of the season.
Red Bull is then the main topic of discussion as Formula 1 heads to Suzuka, home of the Japanese Grand Prix, where we will find out if Singapore was a surprise for Red Bull, or if something replaced to knock Red Bull out of position.
The team has consistently denied suggestions that the two FIA technical rules implemented for Singapore, designed to support flexible bodies and floors, have had an effect on the RB19.
So all eyes are on Suzuka, and if Red Bull has problems again, then Hamilton will say “something is up” for the Austrian team.
“I think if they go 30 seconds ahead, as they have done in the past, then anything happens,” Hamilton told the media ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.
“The last weekend was obviously difficult, but his car deserves to be phenomenal here. They have been phenomenal all year, with their speed on almost each and every circuit.
“I mean, it will be wonderful to take a look at this car in general. Normally you come here and it’s fantastic to see the laps they do because the whole team and the drivers do an amazing job with the package they have. It will be attractive to see how the weekend goes.
“I hope we’re closer and I hope they’re as fast as the 30-second hole they had in the past. “
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Perez admitted that Red Bull still does not fully understand what went so wrong in Singapore and that the team had “good indications” that poor set-ups were to blame.
However, F1 2023 now moves to Suzuka and a track that Perez says will be one of the “best circuits” on the Red Bull calendar.
“Well, that’s the goal,” Perez replied when asked if Red Bull would return this weekend.
“We still don’t realize what happened in Singapore.
“Clearly we have clever concepts about how we prepared for the weekend, the incorrect information we had and where things went wrong. But it is clear that we are going to keep everything internally, although there are intelligent indications that we probably enter the weekend with some bad set-up.
“But this track is really very different, so there’s no explanation for why not be strong. “
“And Suzuka, in fact, will be one of the most productive circuits for us. “
If Red Bull is ahead of Mercedes in Japan and avoids being overtaken by Ferrari for 24 editions or more, then they will win the 2023 constructors’ championship.
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