Verstappen explains Red Bull call to 'throw away' F1 weekends

Max Verstappen has addressed Red Bull's lack of low-downforce rear wing, something that has become a defining talking point at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

The Dutchman struggled on the opening night of the round in Sin City, but fared better during Friday's running.

He will line up fifth for the race in Nevada, alongside F1 drivers' title rival Lando Norris. As long as he does not lose more than two points of his 62-point advantage, he will be crowned champion for the fourth-successive time come the end of the grand prix.

Earlier in the weekend, it was falsely reported that Red Bull had brought the incorrect rear wing to Las Vegas, which would have constituted a high-profile blunder.

However, the truth of the matter is that, unlike rival F1 teams, the Milton Keynes squad does not have a specific low-drag rear wing option to call upon for tracks like the Las Vegas Strip Circuit and Monza.

It has been an active decision by the team, with other areas prioritised under the cost cap restrictions since the current generation of ground-effect cars were introduced nearly three years ago.

"We opted to not make one," Verstappen told media including RacingNews365. "We don't have one.

"This is from 2022, he added. "I think we just never thought that we would run it that low. And then, with the budget cap, you choose your priorities and we shift to that.

"[We] would have liked to have a lower downforce wing - or at least a different, more efficient shape."

The three-time F1 drivers' champion did concede Red Bull will consider its options for 2025, whilst minimising the likelihood of change in tact.

"It's something that we'll look at, but on the other hand, there's only one more year left with these rules and I don't know if it makes sense [to produce one now]," he mused.

Nevertheless, Verstappen did not shy away from questioning the logic of the approach, arguing that in doing so, Red Bull has sacrificed two of the 24 rounds on the F1 calendar: "But for me, at least, it feels a bit like we throw away two race weekends like this."

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