Red Bull Racing’s never seen before dominance is under threat after just 2 seasons. Despite attaining a 99% win record last year, Red Bull’s 2024 season campaign hasn’t been the smoothest as they faced some real and threatening challenges from rivals Ferrari and McLaren.
The previous two races at Imola and Monaco were the worst of all for Red Bull as drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez were made to toil hard in the mid-field. That being said, ahead of the Canada Grand Prix, senior advisor Helmut Marko has shared his honest assessment as he expects another tough outing in Montreal.
Helmut Marko Cites Correlation As Key Culprit Behind Red Bull’s Abrupt Struggles
Max Verstappen, the 3-time F1 world champion, finished P6 at the recently concluded Monaco Grand Prix, as RB20 was spiteful around the corners and kerb. Charles Leclerc, the pole sitter, comfortably drove through the checkered flag to attain his first victory at home. However, Red Bull Racing was left devastated as Monaco happened to be its third defeat of the year after Australia and Imola. That being said, the sudden struggles of RB20 surprised the fans and even Max himself, as his cranky radio message spoke for itself. However, the team’s senior advisor, Helmut Marko, states that the correlation between the simulator data and on-track performance is off by a mile as the team paid the price of the dubious data in Monaco.
Helmut Marko added that the simulator suggested RB20 to move around smoothly over the kerb in Monaco. However, in reality, Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez reported severe balance and reliability issues. Hence, the correlation issue is the key culprit behind RB20’s newfound woes, as Monaco wasn’t the first case, and Marko has called for serious and immediate action. “We are optimistic that we can at least find out why the simulator produces data that does not correspond to reality,” Marko said. However, despite optimism, the senior personnel does not believe the issues will be fixed anytime soon and certainly not by the Canada Grand Prix, as Marko expects a tough race in Montreal. “Montreal could also be a difficult weekend for us,” said Marko. Indeed, with Ferrari and McLaren raising standards with each race, Red Bull stands at a risk of losing its dominance.
Guenther Steiner Sense End Of Red Bull Dominance!
In a sharp take to define the changing dynamics in F1 momentarily, former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner stated that Red Bull Racing’s dominance is essentially over. Steiner added how they are being challenged by McLaren and Ferrari every step of the way. And hence, RB’s focus will now shift on the rivals.
Having said that, Red Bull still has an edge over its rivals as their car is aerodynamically the strongest. With a couple of upgrades, RB20 should regain its old pace and balance. However, after Checo’s Monaco crash, RB is facing an acute shortage of funds, which can lead to the abandonment of late-season upgrades.
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