Red Bull reveals the reason for Max Verstappen’s secret RB18 test at Imola

Max Verstappen drove around the Imola circuit on the previously dominant RB18 to set up a reference point for RB20.

Red Bull reveals the reason for Max Verstappen’s secret RB18 test at Imola

Max Verstappen (via IMAGO)

Red Bull’s success during the ground-effect era has been phenomenal, especially due to Adrian Newey. The team enjoyed a great domination since the 2022 season began and hasn’t looked back since. However, Milton Keynes has been facing some issues with the RB20 as the chassis was completely changed from its predecessors. As a result, Max Verstappen was rumored to drive in the RB18 once in Imola before the Spanish GP.

Max Verstappen‘s start to the 2024 season was as expected from previous dominating form. However, the chassis balance and grip problems over kerbs and bumps saw the driver lose out on multiple races. As a result, the team tried to look back at the past and allow Verstappen to drive the two-year-old RB18 around Imola on Wednesday.

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The reason behind this, as revealed by Red Bull’s chief engineer, Paul Monaghan was to give Verstappen a reference from the previous car. Hence, the issues in the current version of the challenger could’ve been fixed by taking reference from the past chassis. So by taking out the RB18 in Imola on Wednesday, the Dutchman would be able to provide feedback from it which could be crucial to fix the impending issues in the RB20.

We really tried to give Max a reference from a previous car. When you're trying to assess the strengths and weaknesses of a current car, his reference is the current car. Because we haven't run them at the same time. So in taking that car out, we tried to give Max a reference to judge it from and he's been able to give us feedback from that, and it's up to us what we do with it.
Paul Monaghan said, as reported by racingnews365.

Paul Monaghan claims Max Verstappen’s feedback ‘won’t change much’

Max Verstappen’s feedback from driving the previously dominant RB18 would provide a different look to the challenger issues. However, Monaghan believed that the Dutchman’s feedback about the RB20 wouldn’t change much after driving the previous chassis. The reason for RB18 was just to provide a different reference point than this year’s chassis.

His feedback won't change as such, we just give him a different reference. The strengths and weaknesses of the cars are how we perceive it, and obviously judged relative to our opposition.
Paul Monaghan added.
Max Verstappen, elmut Marko and Christian Horner
Max Verstappen, Helmut Marko and Christian Horner (Via: Imago)

However, even Sergio Perez‘s feedback regarding the RB20 would be blended with Verstappen’s comments. This would allow the team to take up a different set of eyes on the car and work on it from a different angle. Hence, the team will look into the data and draw up a comparison with the rival teams to assess the situation further.

But we blend that with his comments, Checo's comments, and we say, 'Okay, are we good? Are we bad?' We look in the data to see if it's valid to say we're better or worse than other people. What's his perception? Why is he saying it? And then what on earth do we do about it?
Paul Monaghan concluded.

Red Bull’s performance had put forth a problem of the rival teams quickly closing in on them. However, Verstappen’s resilient performance has enabled Red Bull to further build a strong defense in the constructors’ championship. Milton Keynes will need to keep up with the development battle to continue fending off the rival teams.

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