As the 2024 F1 season began, all eyes were on Max Verstappen and Red Bull, the reigning champions of 2023, who were anticipated to excel following their previous dominance. In the early races, both Verstappen and Red Bull showcased their superiority. However, this momentum crumbled following a controversial allegation against Christian Horner, leading to challenges, destabilizing the entire Milton Keynes team.
An internal power struggle emerged, creating divisions within the team that adversely affected their performance on the track. Since the Miami GP, the RB20 has been plagued by technical issues, resulting in sporadic successes while largely placing the team at a disadvantage. Meanwhile, McLaren has mounted a strong challenge to claim both the Constructors’ Championship and the Drivers’ Cup. It has become crucial for Red Bull to address and overcome these technical difficulties. However, Max Verstappen is optimistic about the upcoming upgrade, which could be the deciding factor.
Max Verstappen Upbeat With The Red Bull’s Austin Upgrade
Max Verstappen has not secured a victory since the Spanish Grand Prix, which took place eight races ago. As a result, Lando Norris has narrowed the gap in the F1 drivers’ standings, now just 52 points behind Verstappen, with 180 points still up for grabs over the final six weekends of the season. At the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Red Bull introduced a new ‘patchwork’ floor, designed using components from previous iterations as a temporary solution. At the same time, the team prepares a more comprehensive upgrade for the upcoming United States Grand Prix in Austin on October 20th.
During the Baku race, Sergio Perez appeared poised for a podium finish with the new floor until a late collision with Carlos Sainz ended his chances. On the other hand, the RBR starlet utilized the updated floor to qualify and finish second in Singapore, a significant achievement considering the track’s previous challenges for Red Bull due to its bumps and kerbs.
Reflecting on the upgrade introduced in Baku, Verstappen expressed optimism about Red Bull’s direction. He acknowledged that while the new floor felt like a positive step forward, substantial improvements would require time. Verstappen emphasized that such changes cannot be realized overnight and indicated that the team felt encouraged by the results observed in Baku. He remains hopeful that Red Bull can continue to build on this momentum in future races.
Red Bull And Max Verstappen’s Hopes Rest On The Austin Package
The RBR senior advisor, Helmut Marko, recently shared insights on what improvements are necessary for the next Formula 1 race. In interviews with RTL/ntv and sport.de, he emphasized the importance of increasing speed and expanding the car’s operational range to stay competitive. Currently, the RB20 operates with a narrower working window compared to its primary competitor, McLaren. According to the 81-year-old advisor, this limitation contributes to the underlying issues affecting the car’s balance.
Despite these challenges, he remains optimistic about the upcoming upgrades. The initial step of this upgrade was introduced at the Singapore Grand Prix, which, while not yielding significant results, still had a positive effect. He believes that the enhancements set for Austin will be crucial for the team’s resurgence, viewing this as a pivotal moment for Red Bull Racing’s performance moving forward.
