Red Bull’s Alarming Performance Gap Raises Concerns in Formula 1
ZANDVOORT, Netherlands
In a candid admission, Red Bull’s motorsport advisor Helmut Marko expressed concern over the team’s performance gap after Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix, stating that they are “clearly being beaten and that’s alarming” (ServusTV).
The statement followed Max Verstappen’s 22.869-second loss to race winner Lando Norris, marking one of Red Bull’s largest losing margins since the introduction of Formula One’s current regulation set in 2022. Verstappen, who secured the lead of the race at the first corner, was ultimately powerless to stop Norris from passing him on lap 18 and disappearing into the distance.
“We are clearly being beaten and that’s alarming.”
- Helmut Marko, Red Bull Motorsport Advisor
The alarming trend is not new, as McLaren has been bridging the performance gap over several races, culminating in a 70-second swing over a race distance in just five months. Red Bull’s struggles are now undeniable, and the question remains: Can they overcome this performance gap to ensure Verstappen’s 70-point lead isn’t whittled away over the final nine races of the season?
Red Bull’s Struggles in Zandvoort
Red Bull’s struggles in Zandvoort were attributed to Verstappen’s difficulty in finding a “connected balance” in his car, with the Dutch driver citing issues with the car’s reluctance to turn into corners and propensity to snap into oversteer in corner exits. Despite rolling back the specification of the floor on Verstappen’s car to an earlier iteration, the team failed to counter McLaren’s significant step in performance.
The RB20’s upgrades at Imola, in Spain, and again in Hungary did not provide the desired improvement, while Red Bull has looked increasingly lost in its development direction. The return to the old floor specification did not yield the expected results, with Verstappen failing to find a better setup to suit the car.
Horner Remains Hopeful
Red Bull’s team principal, Christian Horner, remains hopeful that a comparison between the data from Verstappen’s car and that of Sergio Pérez, which was running the latest floor, will provide a longer-term solution for the team’s engineers.
“This weekend, we’ve run the cars in different specifications, and I think that has actually given us quite a lot of valuable info.”
- Christian Horner, Red Bull Team Principal
However, the Dutch Grand Prix was a messy one for Red Bull, with the team uncharacteristically failing to get the best from the car. Meanwhile, Norris was delighted with the performance of his McLaren, which featured another decent step in performance thanks to further upgrades.
The Championship Battle Ahead
The question now is whether Verstappen’s championship lead is under threat. If McLaren’s dominance in Zandvoort is replicated over the remaining nine races, Norris would win the title. However, the relative performance of the McLaren and Red Bull is likely to fluctuate significantly, with upcoming races in Monza and Baku favoring low-downforce setups.
Red Bull’s struggles with kerb riding and ride on bumpy surfaces could also become a major factor in the coming races. Furthermore, the relative performances of Mercedes and Ferrari will also play a significant role, with the likes of Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, Charles Leclerc, and Carlos Sainz expected to become factors at some point in the final nine races.
As Red Bull faces this alarming performance gap, team principal Christian Horner acknowledges that “things can move very quickly” in Formula 1. The team must respond to McLaren’s dominance by understanding the problem, addressing it, and implementing fixes to stay competitive in the championship.
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