The difference between Red Bull Formula 1 floors being used by Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen is "negligible" according to Christian Horner. In recent races, Perez has been using a different spec of floor to Verstappen - who has won four Grands Prix on the trot while Perez has struggled to match his pace. Horner put it down to financial reasons as to why the two were running different specs - Perez having a new one compared to the old one on car #1 - in that the team could not afford to revert the #11 back.
Speaking after FP2 at Monza for the Italian Grand Prix to Sky Sports F1, Horner doubled down on the reason behind the difference. "It's very, very negligible, I think we predicted it to be less than a tenth of a second," he explained. "Of course, we're at that time of year where our budget cap kicks in, we have to look at the amount of spares that we're carrying. "And to enable both drivers to have a new floor at future races, that's the kind of compromises that we're having to make but in terms of performance it is absolutely negligible. "What he misses out on the floor, he gains in other elements so it tends to get even itself out ,whether that's a slight bit of weight to compensate."
Tactical engine penalties
Horner also explained Red Bull's decision to give both drivers engine penalties at Monza - 10 places for Perez and five for Verstappen. "We've elected to take this penalty here on the advice of our engine partner [Honda] and five places here isn't too draconian. "To have that extra engine added into our pool for the for the remaining seven races we just thought strategically it is the right thing to be doing."
Most read
