Why Max Verstappen was 'high-profile victim' of Red Bull 'phenomenon' in Brazil

A phenomenon, one that had arguably never manifested itself as clearly as it did for Red Bull during the São Paulo Grand Prix on Sunday, involved the tyres intermittently falling outside their optimal operating temperature window.

At Interlagos, Max Verstappen was a high-profile victim of this issue. After starting from 21st on the grid, and after a sensational first stint on intermediate tyres, he reported a sudden drop in his car's overall performance after switching to softs, noting, in particular, that its behaviour had become more unstable and less consistent.

In essence, it was as if the RB22 had begun to exhibit problems that had seemingly been left behind earlier in the season: instability mid-corner, primarily at the rear, along with noticeable understeer upon corner entry and distinct oversteer on exit through the track’s more twisty sections.

The frequent 'snaps' from the rear end indicated that the available tyre grip was vanishing, not due to standing water, but because of a loss of aerodynamic downforce caused by an unstable car platform.

In part, this was a byproduct of the setups chosen for Interlagos; due to adverse weather conditions, the cars were run at a higher ride height, which significantly reduced the downforce generated by the floor and shifted the centre of pressure forward, thereby lightening the rear end.

Consequently, the RB22 found itself in a situation where the developments that had previously ensured a consistent balance between its dynamic and aerodynamic behaviour were no longer effective.

As track temperatures fluctuated and, crucially, as the car became lighter throughout the race, tyre degradation triggered sharp, sudden shifts in the vehicle's handling, leaving Verstappen to contend with a high degree of unpredictability.

It is therefore reasonable to argue that the conditions encountered in Brazil, with a track surface that kept changing its grip level in an inconsistent manner, led the drivers, and Verstappen in particular, to perceive the car’s handling as less precise.

This deprived him of the confidence needed to push to the limit and extract the remaining performance from the car, precisely what would have been required to contend for the win.