The 2024 season is the return to earth for Red Bull, after a year and a half of crushing Formula 1. Despite a start to the campaign in line with the previous season, the Austrian team has already been surpassed in performance by McLaren, which took the lead in the constructors’ standings, and more occasionally by Ferrari and Mercedes, so that it has not won a GP since the Spanish round last June.
However, one of the team’s big problems, beyond its sluggish performances, is that of its driver duo. If Max Verstappen displays a level which still allows him, with six Grands Prix to go before the end of the season, to be in a favorable position to win a fourth title, Sergio Pérez is in much more difficulty. As he enters the last quarter of the season, the Mexican is 187 points behind his teammate and has only scored 41 points in the last 12 events to date.
Pérez saw his contract renewed in the spring, so that he is tied to Red Bull until the end of the 2026 season. However, it quickly became clear to everyone that this commitment came with clauses allowing the manufacturer of Milton Keynes to be able to replace him if the performances are not up to par. Daniel Ricciardo was seen as a potential candidate, but did not really convince himself, so his adventure in F1 stopped after the Singapore GP, to give Liam Lawson a chance at VCARB.
Helmut Marko was clear on what this could mean: the New Zealander will be evaluated for the future of Red Bull and 2025 is clearly in his sights. Christian Horner explains that he needs to understand the options available for the future, at this crucial moment when the fight for world titles risks being even tighter next year. In addition to the question of trophies, it is also that of financial gains, with significant differences between the different places in the championship, which is at stake.
“We desperately need answers”recognized Horner for Motorsport.com. “When you look at the competition, Ferrari is going to be strong next year, with [Lewis] Hamilton et al [Charles] Leclerc. In addition, the McLaren line up of [Lando] Norris et al [Oscar] Piastri is solid. We need to make sure there isn’t a big gap between our two drivers because that’s something we can’t afford.”
With Jonathan Noble
