The 2024 Formula 1 season heats up as the Austrian Grand Prix approaches. Max Verstappen holds a commanding lead, but Lando Norris and McLaren are poised to shake up the standings at the revamped Red Bull Ring. With hot conditions, scattered thunderstorms, and a thrilling sprint race on the cards, this weekend’s action is not to be missed.
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In an exclusive interview, Lando Norris expressed his confidence that McLaren has what it takes to dethrone Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing from the top of the Formula 1 standings, but emphasized the need to ‘eliminate small mistakes’ to bridge the 69-point gap.
Our experts have crunched the numbers and scored each driver’s performance at the Spanish Grand Prix, with Max Verstappen narrowly edging out Lando Norris for the top spot in the Power Rankings. Meanwhile, Pierre Gasly shone for Alpine, and Charles Leclerc led the way for a struggling Ferrari team.
Ferrari Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz is optimistic that his team will be more competitive in Austria after identifying a key car weakness that hindered their performance in Spain. With the tight margins between the top four teams, larger fluctuations in the order are expected before the summer break.
With Daniel Ricciardo’s future at Red Bull uncertain, the team’s advisor Helmut Marko has dropped a hint that Liam Lawson could be in line to replace the veteran driver in 2025. This move would be driven by Red Bull’s shareholders’ desire to integrate young talent into the lineup.
Red Bull Racing CEO Peter Bayer has confirmed that the team’s recent upgrades to the VCARB01 car are performing well, but may have misled them into an incorrect set-up direction, resulting in a disappointing Spanish Grand Prix. With the Austrian Grand Prix sprint race approaching, the pressure is on RB to quickly identify the right set-up to stay competitive in the Formula 1 championship.
Red Bull has conceded that eradicating the kerb-riding weakness in their 2024 Formula 1 car won’t be an easy feat, despite their current dominance. The Austrian outfit faces a challenging task in addressing this long-standing issue, which has been exposed as the competition has closed in. With circuits like Hungary and Austria coming up, Red Bull must work hard to overcome this performance limitation and maintain their lead in the championship.
Ferrari has conceded that it needs to ‘open our eyes a bit’ and endeavour to ‘broaden the scope’ of its 2024 Formula 1 car to ensure that it is competitive across all circuits. The Italian marque’s struggles in Canada and Spain have highlighted the need for a more versatile car to compete with rivals like Red Bull and Mercedes.
The 2023 Formula 1 season continues to defy expectations, with another thrilling race in Spain that sets the stage for competitive battles on every circuit. As the Sprint format returns in Spielberg, fans can look forward to even more exciting racing action.
Mercedes Formula 1 team principal Toto Wolff has quashed rumors of talks with Max Verstappen over a potential switch to the team in 2025, stating that their focus remains on improving their car’s pace. With the Formula 1 standings still tightly contested, Mercedes’ efforts to close the gap with Red Bull and McLaren will be crucial in the coming races.