When the 2024 F1 season kicked off, the spotlight was on Max Verstappen and Red Bull. The reigning champions of 2023, who annihilated the competition, were expected to shine like a northern star. In the first few races, the RBR and Verstappen extended their domination. However, it all fell apart after a controversial allegation against Christian Horner. A string of misery and downturns followed, which shattered the entire Milton Keynes management.
The team faced an internal power struggle and was divided into two factions. This factionalism impacted RBR’s on-track performance. Since the Miami GP, the technical woes have wrapped the RB20. As a result, the team has tasted occasional success while being on the back foot for the most part. Meanwhile, McLaren has launched a full-fledged attack to win the Constructors as well as the Driver’s Cup. Therefore, it is high time for the Bulls to fight off all the technical faults. Recently, Helmut Marko discussed the problems of RB20, which are troubling Max Verstappen the most.
Red Bull’s Austin Upgrade Package Will Be The Deciding Factor
Max Verstappen is losing his lead against McLaren’s Lando Norris. The three-time world champion is in trouble due to RBR’s technical missteps. As a result, he has not won a race in the last eight outings, compressing his lead over Norris to 52 points. The Dutchman must now finish at least second in every race to avoid a Driver’s Cup defeat. Therefore, the team is working on an ambitious development plan for the Austin showdown. Moreover, in the recent Singapore GP, Verstappen overcame his poor past record and bagged a second-place finish. According to Helmut Marko, this result was nothing short of a victory.
The senior RB advisor has recently discussed what needs to be fixed before the next f1 round. He told RTL/ntv and sport.de the need for more speed and a wider working window to remain in the mix. The RBR currently has a narrow working window compared to the top rival, McLaren. Therefore, the 81-year-old feels that such a narrow window is the reason for RB20’s underlying issues, which result in an off-balance car. However, the Austrian is positive about the upcoming upgrade, the first step of which was introduced in Singapore GP. The result was not significant, but it still had a positive impact. Therefore, he assumes the Austin upgrade will work, as it is the last hope for the team’s revival.
“We Have To Win,” Marko’s Verdict Ahead Of The Championship Climax
Although the Energy Drink-based outfit is slowly drifting away from the Constructor’s Cup, Marko is still optimistic. He insists that the reigning champions should turn the tables in the last six rounds.
Further, he said, “We have to win,” explaining that the team needs to give Verstappen a strong car in which he could show his abilities. Moreover, he lamented that the Dutchman can’t take an understeering car over the finish line. Therefore, the uncertainty between oversteering and understeering needs to be reduced. Ultimately, this could be Red Bull’s last chance to regain the top spot, while McLaren would like to end its World Title drought.