No more ’panic mode’ for Red Bull at Baku

"Panic mode" seems to be taking a back seat at Red Bull in Baku, as car upgrades begin to solve the handling problems that threaten to derail Max Verstappen’s world championship charge.

"Sergio Perez is back up there too," Dutch racing personality Tom Coronel told Viaplay after Friday practice in Azerbaijan. "That means the team has it under control again, and panic mode is gone for a while."

Verstappen used a new floor design on Friday, while Perez’s sister car was fitted with yet another new specification.

Team consultant Dr Helmut Marko said Perez’s version calmed the car’s handling, admitting that "Max’s was more venomous".

But he warned: "We also got off to a good start in Monza, so we don’t want to be too euphoric too soon. The track was still in a bad condition. But we feel better than in Monza.

"The drivers can feel the car again," said Marko.

Team boss Christian Horner, however, cautioned that the 90-degree corners at Baku make it "easy" to set up a difficult-to-setup car.

But Verstappen was fastest overall in FP1, before slipping down to sixth in FP2. But Perez was right on the pace of Friday’s fastest, Charles Leclerc.

"I think Verstappen did his fast lap with little engine power," Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff told Sky Deutschland. Former Red Bull driver Robert Doornbos agreed, telling Ziggo Sport: "If Max just turns up the engine, he’d be a few tenths ahead."

An even bigger car upgrade is looming for the US GP in Austin next month, even though it will be a sprint race weekend. "It is not yet clear how many of the new parts we can finish before Texas," admitted chief engineer Paul Monaghan.

McLaren, Red Bull’s closest challenger at present in both world championship contests, had a notably difficult opening day in Baku. "People think we are fast on every circuit now," said Lando Norris. "That is not the case.

"We still have a lot of work to do. Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull are all at a similar level and we are three to four tenths behind," he added.

Experts are also wondering if McLaren’s new decision to clearly favour Norris over teammate Oscar Piastri for the sake of the drivers’ title has simply been made too late.

"They should have dealt with this earlier," said Coronel. "They’ve already given away so many points.

"They are trying to build up the pressure on Max now by giving preference to Norris over Piastri, but it’s too late. Max cannot be overtaken now."