Red Bull hopeful: engine deficit shrinks in Monaco

1 9 curves, no long straight. 3.337 kilometers where braking stability, mechanical grip, traction and stability are required. That sounds like a track tailor-made for Red Bull. That's why Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo see their big chance at the Monaco GP in 2018. “I'm usually not that excited before training. It's very different here. I feel like a school kid and I can't wait to go out tomorrow, ”said Ricciardo on the eve of the first day of training.

Full throttle is falling, Red Bull hopes

Red Bull is feeling good set up for the journey through the labyrinth of guardrails. The proportion of full throttle measured in terms of the lap distance melts in Monte Carlo to 34 percent. This reduces the influence of the engine on the overall performance. And makes the power mode of competing products so feared and so often emphasized by Red Bull less effective in qualifying. “In Barcelona we lost half a second on the straight in a Ferrari,” Ricciardo calculates. “In Monaco it should be two or two and a half tenths. You can make up for that. '

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Max Verstappen wants to win in Monaco for the first time. As does teammate Daniel Ricciardo.

Verstappen sets the plan for the weekend. 'Start from the front row, watch the right moment for the pit stop and stay away from the walls.' But starting from the front row is one of those things. In none of the five Grand Prix 2018 did one of the Red Bull drivers manage to start the race with a clear view. Mostly you had to be content with the third row behind Ferrari and Mercedes. Ricciardo admits that theSkill weakness is not exclusively related to the less powerful Renault V6. “It's a combination of different factors. The car's balance was right in Barcelona. We lost half a second on the straights. The rest came from the chassis. ”Red Bull lost around six and a half tenths of a second to pole position.

Hypersoft should ignite immediately

A lot has to do with the tires. Red Bull has a hard time getting the rubbers to the optimal operating temperatures for one lap. In the race, however, the RB14 caresses the Pirellis. This has advantages over Ferrari and Mercedes. But what good is it if you get stuck and can't take advantage of the tire advantage, because overtaking in modern Formula 1 is only possible with a large speed delta. For Monaco, Ricciardo is not worried about driving the tires into their magic window. The reason is the hypersofts, which are being used for the first time on a GP weekend. “I would be more concerned with cold temperatures and the Ultrasoft. But the sun should shine and the Hypersoft should ignite in the first lap. ”

Red Bull does not want to let the role of favorite be pushed back despite the good conditions on paper. “The others do that to put pressure on us and take the pressure off of themselves,” says Ricciardo, who raced to first place on the grid in Monte Carlo in 2016, but missed victory with a failed pit stop. 'But one thing is clear: We would be surprised if we weren't close, but instead six or seven tenths of a second away.' The competition refers to the third sector of Barcelona. In the technical part, the dark blue racing cars were a force. “This section suited us. But if everyone drives with maximum downforce, the difference is minimized, ”believes Ricciardo. And Red Bull has been warned. Last year Ferrari was unbeatable. Verstappen therefore demands. “You still need a fast car here. As a driver alone, you cannot make the difference. We have to get the maximum possible out of our package. The balance is crucial. “