The season started with Red Bull in the driving seat, rushing towards yet another straightforward victory. However, the breaks were pressed, and the RBR domination was derailed by the emerging powers. Currently, Formula One is a four-way battle, with all the top teams eyeing the Constructors’ Cup.
Although Red Bull is still on the top, McLaren is surging to snatch the top spot with both its drivers in top form. Further, Mercedes is back on the hunt with some ambitious upgrades, and Ferrari is not far behind. However, despite the team’s best efforts, McLaren’s CEO believes the Constructors’ World Title will ultimately hinge on Sergio Perez’s performance.
Red Bull’s Constructors’ Title Hopes Hinges On Sergio Perez
Red Bull recently retained Sergio Perez for the remainder of 2024. White, there were speculations that the RBR management would sack the experienced driver, but he could save his seat. However, the team’s hope to win the world title depends on the Mexican racer. Meanwhile, the 34-year-old driver is struggling to regain momentum, as he seems to have lost touch since the Miami GP. As a result, he has failed to enter the top seven spots, jeopardizing Red Bull’s world title run. Meanwhile, his teammate and RBR starlet Max Verstappen is doing what he does best, finishing in th top spots.
However, the McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri scored more points together than any other team. Therefore, it appears the Papaya squad might be able to end its World Title drought with the help of these young drivers. Zak Brown, McLaren’s CEO, expressed his views on the remaining ten rounds of the F1 season, acknowledging the challenges ahead. He anticipates a tight battle for the Constructors’ World Title, suggesting that Sergio Perez’s performance will likely determine the outcome. Brown believes that if Perez performs to his full potential, it will be a tough fight for all contenders. However, suppose Perez continues with the inconsistent form he’s shown this year. In that case, Brown is confident that McLaren has a strong chance, thanks to the consistent performances of their two front-running drivers.
McLaren Surprises CEO Brown With Rapid Progress
On the other hand, the American executive expressed his surprise at the team’s rapid development, which has allowed them to reach performance parity with Red Bull and even surpass them on certain circuits. Brown admitted that he did not anticipate this level of progress for the current season.
He acknowledged that Red Bull had a significant advantage over the rest of the field, and Mercedes had long been the dominant force. Brown expected McLaren to continue closing the gap, but he did not foresee the team being in such a strong position by the summer break, just one race away from potentially taking the lead.
While he doesn’t believe a first and second finish with the fastest lap in the next race is likely, he remains optimistic. If McLaren continues on the trajectory they’ve followed over the last six or seven races, Brown is confident they’ll be where they need to be by the end of the year. He admitted that he initially thought McLaren might reach this level by 2025, not in 2024, but he’s certainly not complaining about the accelerated progress.