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Red Bull found itself stuck with the wrong configuration of rear wing in the first practice sessions for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, where Max Verstappen can clinch the world title.
Verstappen was 17th in second practice on Thursday, while teammate Sergio Pérez finished 19th.
Unlike its rivals, Red Bull does not have specific wings for different tracks at this point in the season, having opted against a wing designed solely for the Vegas circuit.
Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko said: “We don’t have another rear wing, a smaller rear wing, as we see it on our competitors. It would be more helpful, for sure.”
Red Bull had set their car up to maximise straight-line speed on a street circuit that features a long run down the famous Las Vegas Strip, but the team’s struggles in practice suggested they had sacrificed too much through corners.
Red Bull has made tweaks to the wing to counteract some of the issues it encountered on Thursday and hopes to be in better shape going into qualifying, a source told ESPN.
Verstappen can wrap up the championship in Vegas if he finishes ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris. That appears to be an unlikely outcome at this stage, with McLaren expected to be very strong.
Verstappen won the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix in 2023.