Max Verstappen and Red Bull are not going through a smooth dominating phase in the current season. For instance, last year, there was hardly any phase where it seemed like the title might slip away from the Dutch racer and the Austrian team. The only race they did not win was in Singapore. Carlos Sainz Jr. was the only non-Red Bull racer to win a GP last season. As a result, Ferrari was the only team to enjoy a Grand Prix win in 2023, other than the reigning champions. However, in 2024, things have been a bit different.
Max Verstappen is facing a lot of challenges at the moment to hold on to his lead over the rest of the racers in the grid. Two drivers of McLaren, the Ferrari duo, as well as the Mercedes combination of Russell and Hamilton, have all won a race each. However, the Dutch racer is the only racer with seven wins so far this season. But the rise of the other rivals is making things hard for Horner’s side. Lately, reports suggest that Red Bull might be taking a risk with Verstappen’s expected grid penalty at the Belgian GP.
Red Bull Will Take Risk With The Dutchman’s Spa Engine Penalty
According to Alex Kalinauckas of Motorsport.com, Christian Horner recently said that at some point, they had to take the next engine. It became “Inevitable” after Max Verstappen faced an electric problem last month in FP2 for the Canadian Grand Prix and lost a brand-new engine. Even Honda raised concerns that it had badly damaged the new internal combustion unit element. However, it is not new for Max Verstappen to receive grid penalties at Spa events. He faced those difficulties during the last two races in Belgium. But the lengthy acceleration zones and long straights of Spa give the drivers with faster cars to easily overtake.
Hence, Verstappen will receive a grid penalty again at the Belgian GP. But if he still has the fastest car, he can overcome these obstacles to get back to winning ways. In the last two years, there were no questions about Red Bull having the most superior car. Last year, thanks to the RB19 car, the Austrian outfit won 21 of 22 races. Verstappen himself won a record 19 races. He broke his own record of 15 wins in 2022. But in 2024, Max Verstappen might not be able to achieve what he did in the last two years.
Verstappen Wary Of McLaren & Other Rivals’ Imminent Threat
As per Motorsport.com, Max Verstappen recently said that he is thinking about if he can manage to successfully defend his F1 crown. McLaren has been the biggest threat to Red Bull this year. But Verstappen is still 76 points ahead of Lando Norris. Even Christian Horner echoed the Dutch racer, saying, “Listening to the drivers during the debriefing, it felt like we are going back to 2021.” Then, the Red Bull boss added that perhaps it’s not as bad as 2021.
However, the cars are clearly getting more developed, as Horner says, “They are becoming harder to follow.” Moreover, the dirty air is gradually becoming a more significant issue. That’s the reason why Max Verstappen is facing much stiffer competition and a more challenging run through the pack.
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