Purple Bull workforce principal Laurent Mekies says the delay to the beginning of the Belgian Grand Prix shocked the workforce after it opted for a moist climate setup on its vehicles.
Max Verstappen gained the Dash on Saturday with a low downforce setup, making use of excessive high velocity in dry situations. With rain forecast for Sunday, Purple Bull then modified its method in qualifying based mostly on the climate, however 90 minutes handed between the unique try to begin the race after which lastly racing on a drying monitor, with no person doing greater than ten racing laps on the intermediates earlier than switching to slicks.
“I feel we’re all shocked by how late we now have began the race,” Mekies stated. “I am certain the FIA had its personal issues, however actually for us as a workforce it shocked us, as a result of basically we waited not just for the rain to cease, but in addition for just about the solar to come back out, after which we nonetheless had many laps behind the security automotive.
“So, once more, I am certain the FIA had its personal causes. In our particular case, having biased our vehicles in direction of the rain, for certain it is costing us efficiency. But it surely’s a part of the sport.”
Mekies identified how tough overtaking proved in dry situations all through the weekend as displaying the alternative set-up method was required to have the ability to make progress, as Max Verstappen was restricted to fourth place behind Charles Leclerc.
“Clearly, the truth that we acquired so little moist operating did not assist. It is one thing that we had made fairly heavy decisions, fascinated about a moist race. Ultimately, the rain got here, however we did not get many nice racing [laps]. So, for certain, it has an affect on the race, it is a part of the sport.
“I feel, on the dries, there was little or no chance to overhaul. On the finish of the day, Max has spent each second lap in Charles’ gearbox. I do not assume, on the dries, we now have seen many overtaking strikes at this race. And, with our decisions on downforce, it could have been unlikely that we’d have been capable of cross them within the dry.
“So, it’s what it’s. You begin fourth, get crushed by three thousandths of a second by Charles [in qualifying], and end fourth.”
The dry operating additionally harm Yuki Tsunoda’s probabilities of scoring factors, after Mekies admitted a workforce error value him his place within the high ten and he was unable to regain these positions.
“So, for Yuki, it was our mistake. We needed to pit him on the identical lap as Max, and the whole lot was prepared, the crew was out, the whole lot was able to get each vehicles, and we merely referred to as him too late. So it is on us, sadly, and one lap made an enormous distinction, so he misplaced, I feel, three or 4 positions, which finally stopped his struggle for the factors.”
