Red Bull has insisted the older-spec floor edge on Sergio Perez‘s Formula 1 car does not amount to a “significant difference” to the update on Max Verstappen‘s RB20.
Perez revealed earlier this week that he would again be without the revised floor edge Red Bull introduced in the United States last month at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
The Mexican endured a wretched weekend last time out on home ground in Mexico as he was eliminated in Q1 and then trailed home outside the points with damage.
However, Red Bull Chief Engineer Paul Monaghan has denied that the contrast in floor design could explain the substantial recent gap between Perez and Verstappen.
“Checo is on a different edge specification from Max,” Monaghan told media including including Motorsport Week in Sao Paulo.
“So, if you look at the edge wing itself, it’s suddenly different. It’s a small difference.
“The magnitude is, I would argue, small enough that it’s not going to cause him to have a significant difference to Max.
“We’ve done it like that, purely and simply, because it’s the best way to service two cars and ensure that we can service them fairly with space.”
Perez is optimistic he will receive the upgrade at the next round in Las Vegas, but Monaghan is reluctant to confirm that would be the case until this weekend is done.
“Can we wait and see what happens here on Sunday, and then I’ll tell you what special we’ve got left for Vegas,” he added.
Perez returns to old chassis
Monaghan also disclosed that Perez requested a chassis change and Red Bull has obliged, reverting the Mexican’s RB20 to one that was ran earlier in the campaign.
“We’ve changed him back into a different chassis, which we can do, and he asked if we can, and the boys got a bit of work that they didn’t like,” he admitted.
Asked whether it was a chassis that Red Bull has used prior: Monaghan responded: “We don’t make a new one at this point in the season, I can assure you.”
Red Bull cast doubt on Perez’s brake complaint
Perez attributed his disastrous weekend in Mexico to trouble with the brakes, but Monaghan has cast doubt on whether there was a considerable issue with that part.
“I don’t know that there was anything particularly wrong with the car, but the brake material we don’t put on for multiple events,” Monaghan explained.
“So, we can vary the temperature of the brakes. Equally, he can vary them if he sits in traffic and so on and so on and so on.
“To answer your question, yes, I think we’ve resolved the doubts we have over those.”
READ MORE – Red Bull admits ‘difficult decisions have to be made’ on Sergio Perez’s F1 future
