Red Bull explain critical error for Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar

Laurent Mekies has explained why Red Bull had no battery to fight with on the opening lap of the Australian Grand Prix.

As part of the new power units in play this year, drivers have a heavy focus on the harvesting and deployment of energy, which is crucial for extracting lap time.

Isack Hadjar was the leading Red Bull in third place but lost two positions on the opening lap, slipping behind Arvid Lindblad and Lewis Hamilton.

While Verstappen was able to make steps forward on the opening lap, both Red Bull drivers started the race with an empty battery.

When asked by RacingNews365 how the situation unfolded, Mekies joked: “We thought it would be more fun - we are just not sure if to tell them or not!

“Unfortunately, it's true - they both started the race with no battery.

“It's our responsibility to avoid being in that situation. We have been caught by some limitations of the way you can charge and discharge the battery, on the formation lap. 

“If we are the only ones to have been caught by that, it means that we have not done a very good job.”

Mekies stated the methods in which the drivers operated their cars to heat up the systems on the formation lap used up substantial battery, resulting in the opening lap limitation.

“It is what it is. With the unusual behaviours that drivers need to have on a formation lap with acceleration, braking, acceleration, braking, to warm your brakes, to warm your tyre, we ended up in a point where we were unable to get to the right state of charge for the race start.

“We had to build up that battery level through the first lap, which obviously was not enjoyable.”