Red Bull expects to lose out on a critical advantage in 2022 F1 season

Red Bull holds the record for the fastest pit stop and is generally known to almost always be quicker than the rest on track. With a new generation of F1 cars, however, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner fears that the team may lose out on this advantage. The Briton claimed the heavier weight of the wheels is unlikely to allow for two-second pit stops.

As reported by Motorsport, Horner said:

“The pitstops have been slowed a little bit. The wheels are heavier, obviously, we’ve got the wheel disc in them now. So I doubt we’re going to get sub two seconds stops, but hopefully we can get into the low twos, that would be that’d be really solid.”

The minimum weight permitted has gone from 752kg to 795kg this year as a result of the new 18-inch wheels and transformed safety measures. Additionally, the car weight increased by a further 3kg as the standard parts proved to be heavier than anticipated as seen during the pre-season test in Bahrain.

Emphasizing the implications of a heavier car, Horner went on to say:

“These cars are massive, they are like boats, particularly in these low-speed corner. They are almost 800kgs, they’re 50kgs heavier than last year, they are bigger and longer. But in high-speed corners they are as quick, if not a little quicker.”

The 18-inch wheels themselves are also bulkier than before, contributing significantly to the weight of the car.

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"Impossible to predict" - Red Bull team boss reflects on pre-season tests

While Mercedes seemed to be struggling, as seen in Bahrain, many were skeptical of its claimed lack of performance. Several drivers, including Red Bull champion Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz, have claimed that they believe this is simply a tactic used by the Silver Arrows to underplay their position.

Despite this, Christian Horner has revealed that Ferrari and McLaren seem pretty competitive on track and that Williams finally seems to be making it back to their competitive days. He said:

“One consistent thing is every time the Ferrari is on track it looks competitive, I think the McLaren when it’s running looks competitive. Mercedes, I think haven’t shown their hand yet. The car obviously looks a little bit of a handful to drive. But then there’s some surprises like the Williams, which actually on the long runs looks quite competitive. So the form book is impossible to predict.”

Horner emphasized that it is still difficult to truly know where each team stands today, making the season opener in Bahrain one to look out for.