Ralf Schumacher Believes He Has Identified a “Weak Link” in Red Bull

Ralf Schumacher believes he has identified a “weak link” in Red Bull, specifically pointing to Technical Director Pierre Wache. Following Adrian Newey’s departure from his technical director role, Wache has emerged as a key figure within the team, having joined Red Bull in 2013 from Sauber and previously serving as Chief Engineer before his promotion to Technical Director in 2018.

Red Bull is set to bring its first complete update since Newey’s exit at the United States Grand Prix, hoping to address issues with front-end grip and balance that have threatened the performance of the RB20. Currently, the team trails McLaren by 41 points, although Max Verstappen maintains a 52-point lead over Lando Norris in the F1 drivers’ championship.

However, Schumacher, a six-time Grand Prix winner, questions Wache’s capabilities, suggesting he might not be fully prepared for the role. Speaking to Sport.De, he remarked, “I think the team is suffering from some people leaving or wanting to leave, and replacing those kinds of individuals isn’t that easy. This feeling may not be accurate, but I sense that Wache isn’t quite ready to fulfill this position yet.”

“Absolutely a brilliant thinker, but he doesn’t have the ability to do it like Newey did.”
“He seems to lack the skill to bridge the gap between the driver and the optimal car.”
“Still, I hope Red Bull learns how to do this, but I can’t even imagine it yet.”
“I sense it’s going to be a tough period, especially if Max Verstappen really leaves… Because we saw once again in Singapore how much of a difference he made on his own,” he said.