Are Red Bull giving up constructors' title? 'Verstappen title priority'
F1 News
- Ludo van Denderen
At the start of the season, nobody could have guessed that Red Bull Racing would face such a tough year. Indeed, Max Verstappen's Austrian team continued in the first few months where it had ended in '23: Winning. Whether Red Bull would prolong both championships was not the question; it was just waiting to see when the top prizes were in. But, as is well known, the situation changed dramatically.
Meanwhile, Red Bull is in such a deep sporting slump that its long-time generous leads among constructors' and drivers' championships are shrinking. Verstappen, for instance, is 'only' 62 points ahead of Lando Norris in the drivers' title race, while the margin in Austrian advantage in the constructors is barely eight points. Max Verstappen indicated in Italy that winning the titles is 'not realistic' at the moment.
Helmut Marko does not want to go that far, but the outside consultant does acknowledge that even an exceptional driver like Verstappen could be in trouble if the car does not bring what it should. "Oh yes, if we don't give him a car he can do something with and we have a few more performances like that, then anything is possible," Marko told OE24.
'Perez not bad, but slower'
In the battle for constructors' title, the need is currently the highest. As mentioned, eight points is the difference. Given the form of both McLaren drivers, the first spot in that championship could already be forfeited next race in Baku. "Checo Perez is not bad, but simply slower. But the priority is, obviously, for Max to win the drivers' title," Marko believes in the Austrian medium.
This article was written in collaboration with Olly Darcy