Max Verstappen and Red Bull’s performance dropped off in 2024, and it coincided with the FIA banning asymmetrical braking. Reports suggested that they were using a system that changed the brake bias laterally between the left and the ride-side tires. Former F1 mechanic Marc Priestley shed light on the same on his YouTube channel.
Priestley pondered over Red Bull’s downfall and thought it was either down to Mercedes and McLaren making huge strides with performance, or the FIA’s closing of a loophole exploited by the Milton-Keynes-based outfit. He explained how the FIA added a new rule regarding brake pressure which could have potentially hampered Verstappen and Co.
In Miami, the rules have been re-worded to forbid ‘any system producing asymmetric braking’: could RedBull have been using such a system?
Here is how it would work!On corner entry, the centrifugal inertial force shifts the load to the outer tires ➡️These experience much more… pic.twitter.com/IA6GTUcxX0
— Formula Data Analysis (@FDataAnalysis) August 17, 2024
With Red Bull being suspected as the reason behind its removal, Priestley shared his thoughts. “The speculation is that one team has had a major drop off in performance in recent weeks and that team is Red Bull. So the speculation therefore is, could Red Bull have been running a system like this? Where an inertia valve applied asymmetrical pressure to the rear brakes.”
The former McLaren mechanic detailed how it is unusual for authorities to close loopholes on their own without someone being caught violating them. Additionally, Red Bull’s sudden drop in performance and Verstappen’s braking issues in previous races this season have led many to suspect that the Austrian team might have been at fault.
The system that Red Bull allegedly misused includes a t-valve that adjusts brake pressure between the two lateral tires when entering a corner. If the speculation Priestley discussed proves to be true, Red Bull’s championship hopes could face a serious setback.
Red Bull facing threats from teams behind them
Red Bull could be in for a difficult end to the 2024 season, especially if they don’t find a solution to their braking issues. McLaren is just 42 points behind them in the Constructors’ standings, and with 10 races to go, the deficit is not that comfortable.
In the Drivers’ championship, Lando Norris is 78 points behind Verstappen, and while it won’t be easy to close down that gap, Priestley feels he could get some assistance from Mercedes.
He said, “If Mercedes, as they’ve done recently, are winning the Grand Prix, taking maximum points, that is the one thing Lando needs more than anything else if he wants to close that gap. Mercedes can play a pivotal role in the outcome of this year’s championship.”
Mercedes has won three of the last four races heading into the summer break, and if they win at the Dutch GP upon resumption of the season, McLaren and Norris would benefit hugely from it.
