With Charles Leclerc benefitting massively from a one-stop strategy in Monza, all the other top teams wondered whether they could have also deployed a similar strategy. Answering questions about the same, Andrew Shovlin feels George Russell could have finished above Max Verstappen, had they put him on the same strategy.
Speaking about the Italian GP in Mercedes’ post-race debrief, Shovlin admitted Mercedes should have put Russell on a one-stop strategy in hindsight. “Yes, he got ahead of Sergio [Perez] anyway on the two-stop, but critically, we think he would have been able to finish ahead of Max [Verstappen], had he one stopped,” said Shovlin.
With a driver losing an average of 25 seconds per pitstop in Monza, not stopping for a second time could prove to be a significant advantage. A leading driver can build on their advantage, putting the race almost out of reach for those running behind them.
When Mercedes checked the tire wear on Russell’s tires, they found there was still a lot of rubber left. It was enough for the Briton to stay out and make the push for a higher finish. Thus, the #63 driver failed to make the most out of the race in Monza as Red Bull faced even more issues with their car.
Verstappen’s stellar drive was the saving grace for Red Bull
Starting the race from P7, Verstappen improved one place to earn eight vital points in the drivers’ championship. Much of the result had to do with the Dutch driver’s brilliant driving skills.
He tamed the RB20 as best he could in what proved to be a difficult weekend. However, the problems are too many and too big for even the three-time world champion.
#F1 | Toto Wolff on Red Bull’s sudden drop in pace: “It is really weird. I have no insight obviously but that is not at all the Red Bull at the start of the year – dominant.”
“I think that Max was able to keep it going for a while with his ability, but it seems now that [the… pic.twitter.com/U18irqexuf
— deni (@fiagirly) September 4, 2024
Even Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff finds Red Bull’s performance slump strange. While he claimed to have no insights about the same, he was still shocked to see such a dominant team lose its edge.
Should the slump continue, Red Bull will see their hold on the constructors’ title slip away. A mere eight points separate them and McLaren at the top, which can easily fade away at the upcoming Azerbaijan GP. However, when it comes to the drivers’ championship, Verstappen still holds a comfortable 62-point advantage over second-placed Lando Norris.
