Red Bull appears to have left "panic mode" behind in Baku, as new car upgrades are starting to alleviate the handling problems that were threatening Max Verstappen's world championship challenge.
"Sergio Perez is back up there too," Dutch racing personality Tom Coronel said to Viaplay after Friday's practice sessions in Azerbaijan. "That means the team has it under control again, and panic mode is gone for a while."
Verstappen ran with a new floor design during Friday practice, while Perez's car was fitted with another new specification.
Team advisor Dr Helmut Marko commented that Perez's version improved the car's handling, though he acknowledged that "Max's was more venomous."
However, Marko urged caution, saying, "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," Marko added.
Nevertheless, team principal Christian Horner pointed out that the 90-degree corners at Baku make it "easy" to set up a car that can be difficult to dial in properly.
Verstappen was fastest in FP1, but later dropped to sixth in FP2. However, Perez stayed close to the pace of Friday's fastest driver, 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 also weighed in on Ziggo Sport, saying, "If Max just turns up the engine, he'd be a few tenths ahead."
A significant car upgrade is also planned for the US Grand Prix 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.
Meanwhile, McLaren, which has emerged as Red Bull's closest competitor in both championship standings, struggled on the first 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," Norris explained.
Experts are also questioning whether McLaren's new decision to give Lando Norris clear priority over teammate Oscar Piastri for the drivers' title has come too late.
"They should have dealt with this earlier," Coronel said. "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," he concluded.
