Red Bull braces for radio madness as Canadian GP weather throws up uncertainty

Speaking after a difficult qualifying session for his team, the 49-year-old suggested to F1 TV that the race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve could prove to be a steep learning curve for several outfits, particularly if conditions continue to shift. Mekies, who was initially asked about Red Bull’s time deficit to Mercedes, once again the benchmark on Saturday, acknowledged that his side continues to suffer a significant straight-line speed disadvantage to the Brackley-based outfit.

“So in terms of straight-line performance, we still see quite a significant gap between Mercedes and us. And you know, you are talking about three tenths to pole. So if there is a significant gap in the straight line, it means, you know, at least half of the difficulties is happening there, probably with more than half of the deficit today is happening in a straight line. So we know it's something we need to work really hard on too,” Mekies noted.

Despite that concern, the Red Bull boss remained measured about Sunday’s prospects, predicting chaotic and highly engaging communications across the pit wall.

“In terms of what's going to happen tomorrow, honestly, I think it's going to be a massively steep learning for everyone. You will hear a lot of entertaining radio conversation because it's going to be new for everyone. It's going to be tough. There's a combination between do you get the grip, do you get the power, do you not get the grip and still get the power. It's going to be very tough, but sooner or later we have to race in the wet with these cars and it's going to be exciting to watch,” he concluded.

The weather for the Canadian Grand Prix is poised to feature rain showers around the scheduled start time of the race. Earlier, the FIA declared the race a rain hazard, with the chances of rain exceeding 40%. Red Bull, on their part, endured a mixed Sprint weekend, with only Max Verstappen scoring points after Isack Hadjar suffered an engine issue, while both drivers could only manage sixth and eighth on the grid for the Grand Prix.

Verstappen cut a frustrated figure after Canadian Grand Prix qualifying, openly questioning the unpredictability of the RB22 machinery. The four-time world champion struggled throughout the session, initially reporting difficulties bringing his tyres into the correct operating window before also highlighting a lack of straight-line speed.

Speaking to Dutch outlet Viaplay, Verstappen admitted he was baffled by the behaviour of the car and claimed the team also appeared uncertain about the underlying issues. He added that repeated questions over team radio went unanswered during the session.

“I actually have no idea what was going on throughout qualifying. All very strange. With every lap I did, the more I drove, the slower I got on the straights. Of course, I often gained lap time in the corners. And then I basically lost more than I gained on the straights,” he explained.

“I don’t know if we did everything right there, but I asked a few times and heard nothing. I got nothing, no feedback. So I just drove my laps. But it wasn’t all that great. A bit better over the kerbs and the bumps, but then I lost downforce with that setup. So in the end it didn’t make much difference. You end up going around in circles. They probably don’t know themselves either,” Verstappen concluded.