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Red Bull team principal Christian Horner reckons conducting the first sprint race of the season at the 2023 Azerbaijan GP could prove dangerous. Sprint races are much shorter in duration and determine the final grid spot for drivers in the main race. As this will be the first sprint race of the season, Horner believes it should have been conducted on a more forgiving track.
Speaking to Motorsport.com, the Red Bull team boss explained how the sprint race in Baku would be a thrilling one for fans but a risky one for teams. When the cost cap is taken into account, he fears that if a car is involved in a crash, it could be difficult for teams to make amends. Horner said:
“The reality is it's absolutely ludicrous to be doing the first sprint race of the year in a street race like Azerbaijan. I think from a spectacle point of view, from a fan point of view, it's probably going to be one of the most exciting sprint races of the year. From a cost cap perspective, all you can do is trash your car. And it costs a lot of money around there. So one race is enough in Baku, the fact that we've got two, there could be well some action there."
The Red Bull head also admitted that the format wouldn't change for Baku but hopes that formats in future events would be fixed. He concluded:
“That's part of the challenge, and it's part of the task that we've got. Hopefully, we can tidy up the format for the sprint races coming up, that they are bit more that they are a bit more dynamic. I know that the sporting directors have been working hard on that, and hopefully we can get that that finalised. A sprint race in Azerbaijan is something to be certainly wary of.”
Former F1 champion fascinated by Red Bull RB19's rear wing
Former F1 champion Damon Hill recently analysed the Red Bull RB19's rear wing. He explained how long it looks and how it has a low profile.
Hill also noted how it gives the RB19 a much bigger advantage over others during DRS. As reported by the French edition of Motorsport.com, he said:
"They (Red Bull) are able to accelerate a lot more. That’s going to get everyone’s attention. I noticed it last year – they have a very interesting rear wing, very elongated, and when you look at it and it goes into DRS mode, it has a very low profile.
"I think they’ve done a lot of work on that. It gives them a bigger advantage than the others when they have DRS. I think everyone else is going to look at that and say maybe they’re missing something.”
Red Bull's RB19 is the best car on the 2023 grid by a country mile. The team has already perfected the car and are simply aiming to maintain its reliability now.
