For all the focus on Red Bull’s decline, there is a similar phenomenon ongoing at their second team. VCARB, who were regularly on top of the midfield earlier in 2024, are losing ground. As their immediate rivals improve, the Faenza squad are failing to bring effective updates.
Tsunoda unhappy with VCARB upgrade package
Prior to the summer break, Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo were frequently mentioned as options to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull. At this stage, VCARB were competitive enough for their drivers to score points regularly and make a noticeable impact.
Overtaking Aston Martin for 5th in the Championship was even seen as an attainable goal.
However, over the past few races, the VCARB 01 has become increasingly uncompetitive. One reason for this is the progress made elsewhere in the field, with Williams taking a particularly significant step forward.
Upgrades introduced by James Vowles’ team in Zandvoort were highly effective. The FW46 has taken a step forward aerodynamically, whilst also losing some weight – securing important tenths of a season.
Williams are not the only team to progress, with Haas also making reasonable progress. The American squad’s updates in Silverstone pushed them forward, also establishing a foundation for further development.
Another positive for Haas is that Ferrari – who they buy many of their parts from – are making progress. For the next eighteen months, Ayao Komatsu’s team should both directly and indirectly benefit from Ferrari’s progress.
This is making life difficult for VCARB, who have failed to make meaningful gains in recent months. Much like Red Bull, Laurent Mekies’ team have reached a standstill in the development race.
Yuki Tsunoda was given an important upgrade package last weekend, only to find his car’s balance had worsened. With the F1’s budget cap, recovering from development slumps is very difficult.
This is especially true for a midfield team like VCARB, who lack the resources of a top team. The Italian outfit have also taken steps to strengthen their collaboration with Red Bull – meaning the decline of the reigning Champions could also impact their progress for the foreseeable future.
