Red Bull Racing is currently an invincible force as it secured the constructors’ championship for the second time in a row, with still five rounds to go in the 2023 F1 calendar. It is a fitting testament to their unwavering dominance. While Sergio Perez has had his fair share of struggles, Max Verstappen is driving in his own separate league.
The Dutch driver was crowned the world champion during the Qatar Grand Prix for the third time in a row. Subsequently, both trophies will make their way back into the Red Bull cabinet. Having said that, even the mightiest force feels threatened by the increased level of competitiveness from storied rivals, who are closing the gap with each passing race weekend.
Red Bull Senior Officer Expects To Have A Tough Battle With McLaren Next Year
McLaren drivers Lando Norris and rookie Oscar Piastri scored only 17 points in the first eight races of the season. They struggled with the pace of the car but recovered after the summer break. Suddenly, Norris and Piastri found themselves competing for podiums as they accumulated 219 points by the end of 17 races. Not only that, McLaren seems likely to dethrone Aston Martin to claim fourth place in the constructors championship. Having said that, McLaren’s rise has sent waves of concerns in the Red Bull camp as they are apparently keeping a close eye on their day-to-day progress.
Helmut Marko of Red Bull Racing admitted that the team is wary of McLaren’s increased level of competitiveness. The drink-based outfit has been setting pace according to the subsequent pace of McLaren’s almost every circuit now, which is scary for the team’s dominant run. Having said that, Marko did give credit to the rival team for their dramatic turnaround. Not only that, he predicted the Bulls and McLaren to compete neck to neck in 2024. Moreover, in terms of speed, Marko believes the rest of the grid won’t be able to keep up with them and McLaren. While the senior official’s claim might come bold to many fans, considering McLaren’s rise, anything is possible in 2024. Needless to say, McLaren will remain in the front row next season, if not in the winning position.
Helmut Marko Says McLaren’s Rise Becoming A Problem For Sergio Perez!
Heat is raging on Red Bull driver Sergio Perez as he registered yet another underwhelming result at the Qatar Grand Prix. Checo faced as many as three penalties for violating track limits, which cost him points as he finished P10. Escalation of criticism and backlash was inevitable. Helmut Marko, out of all people, remained the first one to call out Perez for his poor performance.
The Red Bull senior office said that Perez’s point deficit to Max Verstappen wasn’t a big problem for them early this year as they had no immediate competition. But now that McLaren has picked up pace with two strong drivers, Checo’s position is critical. He needs to step up for his own sake to retain his P2 position in the drivers’ championship standing and also a seat for the 2024 season.
