Red Bull are currently in their toughest period since 2021, as McLaren and Ferrari continue to close the gap in the standings. Even Max Verstappen’s 60-point cushion in the drivers’ Championship is being eroded. In the eyes of some, the beginning of Red Bull’s decline can be attributed to Adrian Newey leaving the team. Christian Horner sees things very differently.
Christian Horner: Red Bull problems were present even with Newey
Horner downplays importance of Newey departure
Whilst it was off-track controversy that surrounded Red Bull at the beginning of 2024, the defending Champions now face a dire situation with their on-track performance.
The RB20 is rapidly losing ground to the other top teams. Red Bull even find themselves in unfamiliar territory as being the fourth-fastest team in recent events.
In addition to their lack of pace, Red Bull are struggling to find a good set-up with the RB20. Poor balance and inconsistent handling characteristics continue to plague Max Verstappen, who is increasingly frustrated with the situation at Milton Keynes.
Somewhat ironically, the Austrian squad have failed to make meaningful improvements since Adrian Newey stopped being involved in their F1 project.
For some, there is a clear causation between these two things. However, Christian Horner does not see any link:
“I think we would have had all these problems anyway. Because the problems were already there,” he told the media.
“And the contribution of one man could never help so dramatically so quickly.
“The problems had already started in Miami, and Newey was still involved in the project then. He would be working with the same people. Formula 1 is a team sport.
“And the team will find a solution [even without Adrian Newey].”
The pressure is on at Milton Keynes
For a team with a reputation for excellent mid-season development, the regression at Red Bull is a huge surprise to many. McLaren establishing themselves as the fastest team was certainly not anticipated at the start of 2024.
To make matters worse for Christian Horner, Ferrari have taken a step forward with their latest upgrades. Not only was the SF-24 very competitive in Italy, but it proved far better at managing its tyres than at previous events.
Considering that Ferrari spent three months (June-August) rectifying the problems generated by their Spanish GP update package, it is a huge concern for Red Bull they have still found a way to bounce back and produce a more competitive package.
The pressure is clearly on for the Austrian outfit, who are at risk of losing both Championships.
