However, asked if he has the confidence required to push in the same way this weekend, he said: “Not at the moment. Not after Monza, let’s put it that way, but it’s a very different track.
“On the simulator it feels like probably the best balance of the year because of the track layout, so hopefully with the limitations we currently have, we are not able to feel them as much here and we can have the confidence to really attack the whole circuit.
“It’s the only way to get the lap time out of here – you need the confidence to throw the car into the walls, to throw the car on the braking. If we are able to get that, I really hope… This, on paper, seems to be our best chance. These next two coming weekends [with Singapore to follow] should be good ones.”
Red Bull hold a slender eight-point lead over McLaren in the constructors’ standings with eight rounds remaining, while Max Verstappen sits 62 points clear of Lando Norris in the drivers’ battle.