Max Verstappen finished Friday practice sessions for the United States Grand Prix in second and third place, trailing Charles Leclerc by less than two tenths in both. Red Bull is not currently dominating the field as they did in Malaysia. Verstappen expressed satisfaction with early signs from the RB22 but noted the track's bumps make finding the right compromise difficult.
Red Bull technical director Pierre Wache identified two key focus areas ahead of qualifying: improving low-speed performance and the car's behaviour over the bumps at COTA. Verstappen described the bumps as "unacceptable" and "out of control," noting the car is not compliant over the undulations. Comparing fastest laps, Leclerc excels on brakes and exit at Turn 1 and Turn 11, while Verstappen leads at the end of the long straight before braking.
However, Verstappen loses ground through the slower Turns 12 to 16. Wache emphasized that the current generation of F1 cars should be more comfortable over bumps, but active aerodynamics and straight mode keep ride heights low, precisely where the track is bumpy. Red Bull must balance outright performance with rideability over the undulations.
Source: Autosport F1 News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing