The Red Bull racing machine was unstoppable last season. While the mechanical team brought a better RB19 successor to 2024, rivals have blocked its path. The unicorn year 2023 saw RBR win almost every race as Max Verstappen lifted his third consecutive trophy. Verstappen is still the favorite to win the Drivers’ Cupdrivers’ in the current season. However, his domination has been withered down by the competitors.
As a result, McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari are consistently troubling the leaders. Further, with an out-of-form Sergio Perez, the Milton Keynes-based outfit is tipped to lose the Constructors’ Cup. On the other hand, McLaren and Mercedes are pushing the limits and getting better with every GP. Therefore, Flavio Briatore feels RBR domination has been shredded to pieces.
“Not A Monster Anymore,” Briatore Admits Competition Withered Down The Red Bull Giants
The Red Bull triple champion has lost the domination that was once synonymous with his name. The Dutchman seems under pressure, as Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton are closer than ever. Moreover, the point margin between the top three drivers is less than 100, underlining the fierce competition. Thus, on the Formula For Success podcast, Briatore discussed Verstappen’s domination with Eddie Jordan. According to the Alpine advisor, Verstappen is no longer a ‘monster,’ owning to an intense four-way fight for the world title. However, Briatore is not complaining as it is ‘magical’ for the Formula 1 sport. Further, he believes the Dutchman winning every race in 2022 and 2023 made the weekends dull. It was because everyone could guess the winner, as Red Bull had zero competition.
Although the 26-year-old Dutch is still a driving maestro, the problem is with his F1 vehicle. The RB20 is no longer the fastest car, outperformed by McLaren and Mercedes. Additionally, Eddie Jordan supported Briatore’s argument by highlighting that there have been seven different winners in the 14 races of the 2024 season.
However, the RBR starlet disagrees and feels each of his world title triumphs was equally challenging. On F1Tv, Verstappen claimed that maybe the victories appeared easy from the outside, but the reality was completely opposite. Further, he doesn’t want to think about the world title as it’s a long road ahead. Therefore, his current focus is on improving with every race.
Verstappen Vs Norris: Dutch Ace Primed To Win At Home Grand Prix
The Dutchman faces stiff competition from Lando Norris. While Norris has just won one race, he has trapped the current world champion on numerous occasions, so his world title dream is still alive.
However, next weekend’s race will be in Zandvoort, Verstappen’s home soil. The local hero has dominated the Dutch GP, winning the last three consecutive races. However, if Norris wants to stay in contention, he must win the race. It would reduce the points gap from 78 to 70, or near 60 (depending on Verstappen’s finish). Ultimately, a tough challenge awaits the McLaren driver.