More headaches tipped for RB20 as F1 summer break ends in Zandvoort

Red Bull have made a worrying prediction for their fate at this weekend’s F1 Dutch Grand Prix.

The summer break ends at Zandvoort with Max Verstappen desperate to end a four-race winless run.

The rise of Mercedes and McLaren at recent rounds have made life tough for Verstappen and Red Bull - and it could continue this weekend.

“During the summer break, there is nothing going on for two weeks, which means that no work on the car is possible,” Red Bull’s Helmut Marko told Speedweek.

“We have to solve our problems and find out where the fault is, because we don't have the balance in the car anymore if you compare the current situation with the first three races.

“But it is difficult to estimate how quickly this will happen. I don't think the big solution will come in Zandvoort.

“We do intensive brainstorming and also have various ideas. But I can't say yet what we will implement and how.

“One thing is clear: qualifying at Zandvoort will be decisive, because overtaking is hardly possible there.

“And Max could well succeed in a good qualifying, because he has been good there recently.

“We were the fastest in Austria and also in Spa. In Hungary, only a few hundredths were missing – so we are already complaining at a high level.”

Red Bull have confirmed that Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez will continue in the team at Zandvoort and beyond, after his poor form led to calls for him to be ditched.

But the immediate concern for the constructors’ champions is their RB20.

Their rivals McLaren and Mercedes have stolen a march in the developmental war off-track, and the results have been proven on-track.

Last time out in Belgium, Red Bull reverted the RB20’s engine to its standard specification. They had run an update in the previous race in Hungary.

The extreme aero at Spa forced Red Bull’s rethink but they may be on the back foot again for this weekend’s F1 Dutch Grand Prix.

Mercedes have won three of the past four grands prix, twice via Lewis Hamilton and once through George Russell.