The start of the 2024 season felt like an extended highlight of 2023. Red Bull was dominating the tracks with the pace of the RB20 and the talent of Max Verstappen. Thus far, the team has won five out of seven races, retaining the top spot. However, while the records on paper showcase success, the behind-the-scenes narrative tells a different story. From internal turmoil and controversies to the departure of crucial personnel, ‘all is not well’ with Milton Keynes’s outfit.
The vile environment inside the team has raised questions about its management. Christian Horner has retaliated against all the doubts, showing belief in his team. However, the technical team is on the radar after a defeat at Miami and a narrow escape at Imola. The start of the Monaco weekend has only heightened their concerns. Consequently, Max Verstappen expressed his disappointment after the first two practice sessions.
Red Bull Would Hope For Imola-Like Turnaround
Recently, the Red Bull team was punished at the Imola Grand Prix after a poor practice performance. However, the team made a few tweaks ahead of the Saturday qualifying, turning the tides in their favor. While the turnaround at Imola was commendable, the Austrian outfit looks vulnerable. The Friday outing looks similar to last year’s Singapore GP, the only instance where Verstappen struggled. Moreover, the team had to alter their traditional ‘low mount’ car to a higher mount.’ Consequently, Verstappen barely made it to the top five. The Monte Carlo street circuit resembles Singapore’s bumpy track. Hence, RBR management was uncertain about the approach coming into the weekend. As expected, the kerbs and bumps of the track have left Verstappen and Co. clueless. The Dutch driver was left deranged as he ran out of words to describe the issues.
During the media interaction, Verstappen mentioned he had no explanation for the situation, as he anticipated a similar outcome, albeit to a slightly lesser degree. He explained the kerbs and camber of the road, which multiplies the misery. The three-time world champion feels the team has no direction or solution for the ongoing trouble, thus diminishing the chances of a turnaround on Sunday. In the end, Verstappen said Imola was different from Monaco, and the issues here can’t be solved with setup. As a result, due to the car’s design vulnerabilities on tracks like Monaco, this outing could potentially be the worst of the season for the reigning world champions.
Helmut Marko Optimistic Ahead Of The Main Race
While Max Verstappen looks completely despondent, Helmut Marko has a different opinion. Marko explained to Motorsport magazine that the RB20 isn’t losing that much time. Further, the team uses a different engine, which could be the reason for the ‘weird behavior.’
Moreover, he explained that the car is doing well in the long run despite the bouncing issues. Alas, Marko advised Verstappen to have confidence, as the bouncing would be minimized. Also, the senior advisor feels the car is still the fastest on the grid, giving it a fair chance to clinch the sixth silverware.