F1 News
Coulthard sees Red Bull decline as natural process: 'Very difficult to change'
- Nicole Mulder
The 2024 Formula 1 season was marked by change. After Red Bull Racing's dominant run in 2023, their performance sharply declined the following year. David Coulthard views this as a natural part of the sport and emphasises how challenging it is to maintain success once you've reached the top.
Coulthard sees Red Bull's decline as a natural process.
While most expected Red Bull and Max Verstappen to maintain their dominance, it was McLaren that emerged as the frontrunner in 2024. Coulthard isn’t entirely surprised by this shift. "I've been around long enough to know that just because you've won in the past doesn't mean it stays that way. 2023 was such a dominant year," said the Scot in conversation with Motorsport-Total.com. "When you are already so close to the top of Everest, it is just very difficult to make changes."
At the same time, the 13-time Grand Prix winner believes Red Bull may not have been as far off as many people think. "There was clearly a path, a direction they were taking with the car, with which they still won nine races. More than anyone else," stressed the former F1 driver of Williams, McLaren and Red Bull Racing.
Red Bull indicated that part of the problems stemmed from the fact that simulations no longer matched practice. An important fact, according to Coulthard: "Correlation is always the most important thing. If it works, it works and if it doesn't work... If it were that simple, you would have everything done by an AI tool. If it was that simple, everyone would just build the same car. But it's just not like that." He concluded.
This article was written in collaboration with Toby Nixon
Want more Formula 1? Then follow GPblog on our various social media channels, too!