Formula One - Red Bull lost pace owing to flexibility tests, says Jenson Button
Jenson Button declared that the stringent flexibility tests carried by FIA before the Belgium Grand Prix caused decline in the speed of the Rival team, Red Bull last weekend.
Button lost his race pointless due to a poor move made by the Red Bull driver, Sebastian Vettel on lap 16 at Spa, while his team-mate Lewis Hamilton went forward to take the first position at the podium. When Button was forced out of the race he was running at second place, behind Hamilton hoping to give a one-two finish to the team. On the other hand, Mark Webber, the other Red Bull driver, ended his race at second place having started it from the pole, though the podium finish was granted to the Australian by the unfortunate retirements of Button and Vettel, and above all due to the mistake committed by Renault's Robert Kubica at his pit stop.
As the race ended, Red Bull declared that they had not been able to do very well on the track because the medium to low downforce nature of Spa Francorchamps circuit does not suit their RB6 very well. However, Button declared some different views, he suspects that Adrian Newey, the chief technical officer of Red Bull had modified the car so that they would not be caught breaching the FIA regulations at the stringent flexibility tests.
The British racer stated that he suspects that the Red Bull's poor pace might be somewhat due to the circuit but mainly it is due to the changes that they made in their car’s wing.
"I hope the new even more stringent tests for Monza will have even more of an effect. They say they won't have to change anything but they said that here. Watching the car here on the track it was not flexing as much."
However, Webber was offended by the accusations of Button, suggesting that, “it may not be too long before Red Bull has to put their weight behind his title charge instead of Vettel.”
But Button had a different opinion as he said, "I don't think they will. I think they love Vettel.”
Red Bull had been accused in the last two races that their pace is largely due to the front wing, which was said to have more flexibility than what was allowed by the FIA regulations. Also, Ferrari was charged for the same but now as the regulatory authorities carried different tests before the Belgium Grand Prix both the teams came out clean.
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