Red Bull had dominated the racing scene over the past few seasons, entering this year with the same ambition to maintain their winning streak. However, unexpected challenges have derailed their plans, leaving the Milton Keynes-based team in disarray both on and off the track.
To make matters worse, key figures within the team have departed. The most recent exit was race strategist Will Countenaly, who McLaren lured away with the offer of a Sporting Director. Additionally, Adrian Newey has moved to Aston Martin, taking on the role of Technical Manager, further weakening Red Bull’s lineup. However, Christian Horner is still confident of a resurgence, as the team has discovered the exact issue.
Red Bull To Fight For World Titles After Slight Improvement
Max Verstappen’s second-place finish in Singapore highlighted just how challenging the weekend had been for the reigning Formula 1 world champion. Aware that things could have gone much worse, Verstappen took advantage of mistakes made by Oscar Piastri during his Q3 lap, which saw the McLaren driver start from fifth. Additionally, the Ferrari duo’s mishaps on Saturday—crashes and disqualified laps—further played into Verstappen’s favor.
Both Piastri and Charles Leclerc posed potential threats to Verstappen’s points haul, especially given their strong performances when left unchallenged. Combined with setup issues on Friday, the Marina Bay Circuit being historically tough for Red Bull, and Verstappen’s general dislike for street circuits, securing second place was an impressive outcome.
Meanwhile, Lando Norris, Verstappen’s closest rival in the race, gained only seven points, one less than what could have been mathematically expected. Reflecting on the team’s progress, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner acknowledged that they are beginning to address their issues following the improvements seen after Baku. However, Horner admitted that McLaren is now setting the benchmark, signaling long hours ahead in Milton Keynes to close the gap and return to their dominant form.
Red Bull Working Consistently For A New Upgrade Ahead Of The U.S. GP
Christian Horner explained that Red Bull has yet to complete their analysis of the recent races. He highlighted that both Baku and Singapore are unique circuits, making it challenging to draw broader conclusions from their performance on these tracks. As for potential upgrades and adjustments for the upcoming race in Austin, Horner noted that they will rely heavily on what the engineers can extract from the current data. The findings from these analyses will determine the team’s next steps moving forward.