Hopes that the ‘party mode’ ban would play right into Red Bull’s hands came crumbling down at Monza. And the next tough race for Red Bull, despite all the pre-Monza optimism about inching closer to Mercedes, now lies just days ahead at Mugello. Is Verstappen, who has even fallen to third in the drivers’ standings, worried?. “This year’s (Red Bull) car is simply not good enough. “I think it’s best not to get too close to him,” the Austrian said. Some people giggled at the way Red Bull’s push to ban the ‘party mode’ engine setting that worked so well for Mercedes spectacularly backfired.

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