Max Verstappen, representing Red Bull Racing, drove his RB20 car out of the pits at the Canadian Grand Prix on June 9, 2024. The race presented an interesting scenario with mixed weather conditions, where three different teams had a realistic chance of winning. However, once again it was Verstappen and his team who capitalized on the mistakes of others and emerged as the winners. This demonstrated that having a competitive car alone is not enough to topple the reigning champions in 2024.
Unlike previous races, Red Bull arrived in Montreal without being considered the clear favorite to win. In the previous round in Monaco, the team struggled with their RB20 car’s ability to handle the bumps and curbs of the track, which were crucial for achieving fast lap times. Verstappen, who finished sixth in that race, openly acknowledged that their weakness in navigating the curbs had been exposed due to the current ground effect regulations. As other teams closed in on Red Bull’s performance, this weakness became more apparent.
The Gilles Villeneuve Circuit in Montreal also posed a significant challenge for the teams, as it required a car that could effectively handle the curbs. Red Bull knew they would have to limit the damage in this race, following their difficulties in Monaco. The focus shifted to Ferrari, whose SF-24 car had performed exceptionally well in the previous race and was expected to be the car to beat once again. However, despite their optimism and strong performance in the practice sessions, Ferrari unexpectedly failed to advance to the third qualifying session, leaving them in shock.
Both drivers blamed their difficulties on lack of traction, with Ferrari’s ongoing struggle to generate tire temperature in colder conditions seeming to be an inherent flaw in the characteristics of the SF-24 car. Ferrari’s attempt to minimize the damage during the race was frustrated on the second lap, when Leclerc was informed that he was losing up to five tenths of a second per lap due to an engine problem.
The technical issue would worsen later, costing him 80hp on the straights, and a complete reset in the pits did little to improve his situation, as an early switch to slick tires resulted in him being a lap behind before retiring.
Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz was on track to salvage some points as he regained speed on a drier track, until he collided with the unlucky Williams of Alex Albon in a spin at Turn 6, causing damage that led to Ferrari’s first double retirement since June 2022.
Speaking of Monaco, Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur praised the team’s opportunism compared to last season. However, his words were ignored over the weekend as the Maranello-based team struggled in all areas.
But Vasseur emphasized the importance of not “overreacting” to the setback or changing the specific working methods that have resulted in two wins in nine races for the team.
However, the Canadian GP exposed some significant limitations that Ferrari will need to overcome to become a real threat to Red Bull’s domination.
While the SF-24 has the potential to compete with Red Bull in terms of speed, it also has a narrower operating range compared to its competitors’ cars.
However, Ferrari’s difficulties did not alleviate the pressure on Red Bull, as their absence was filled by the emergence of Mercedes as a strong competitor. The German team struggled in the first eight races due to a correlation problem with their modified car, which was inconsistent and unpredictable. However, Mercedes was confident that recent developments had provided a breakthrough, allowing them to reduce the gap to the top three teams.
Andrea Stella, McLaren team principal, agreed with this assessment, noting that there were glimpses in recent races that Mercedes was competitive with a more stable and adaptable foundation. The introduction of a modified front wing design in Monaco seemed to solve their previous balance issues. Unlike in the past, Mercedes was not hindered by chronic understeer at low speeds or instability at high speeds.
In previous races, Mercedes struggled whenever the circuit required the car to be optimized for different cornering speeds. They would eliminate understeer at low speeds and become unstable at high speeds, or vice versa. However, this was not a problem in Canada, as Mercedes quickly adapted to the conditions once the rain stopped and topped the time sheets in the final practice session.
George Russell capitalized on this potential and narrowly beat Verstappen to secure his second career pole position. Russell controlled the race in the beginning, but a mistake in the final chicane on lap 22, when Norris overtook him, allowed Verstappen to take the lead. This proved to be a crucial turning point in the race result.
When McLaren made a mistake that affected Norris’ race, it was Verstappen who benefited the most, instead of Russell. Russell had a moment at Turn 8, which allowed Norris to take second place. However, Russell managed to recover and overtake Piastri’s McLaren and his teammate Hamilton on new medium tires, securing Mercedes’ first podium of the season. Despite this achievement, Russell was disappointed to have missed the opportunity to end Mercedes’ winning streak.
Similarly, Hamilton was also disappointed with his performance, considering it one of his worst races, despite being able to recover three positions. In the practice session (FP3), Hamilton was significantly faster than his rivals, with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff describing his speed as “galactic”. However, when it mattered most in qualifying (Q3), Hamilton was 0.280s slower than Russell, resulting in a starting position in seventh place.
Hamilton has hinted at underlying issues affecting his performance in fast lap situations. However, he acknowledged at the end of the previous season that he needed to improve as he was consistently being outperformed in qualifying. Therefore, it is unfounded to suggest that his impending departure from Mercedes has led to internal sabotage.
Despite his difficulties in qualifying, Hamilton remains a strong competitor in race conditions. He believed that starting in a higher position would give him a better chance of winning. Unfortunately, Verstappen took advantage of Hamilton’s difficulties and secured a front-row starting position that seemed unlikely before, considering that his car was not in its ideal state.
Contrary to Hamilton, Verstappen always performs well in chaotic races with rain. He always remains in contention during these races, which is not a coincidence.
Helmut Marko, Red Bull advisor, stated that the three-time champion would have emerged victorious driving both the Mercedes and the McLaren, and there are reasons to agree. However, Norris firmly believes that he used the McLaren car to its fullest in his pursuit of victory, and he had a reasonable basis for making this claim. McLaren seemed ready to surpass Verstappen once again when both drivers took advantage of Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin causing a bottleneck, allowing them to preserve their intermediates during the early stages of the race.
What was an eight-second gap to the two main competitors gradually turned into a seven-second lead for Norris, as he relentlessly chased the leaders. He skillfully overtook Verstappen and Russell on successive laps, quickly accelerating away from them. Unfortunately, Norris’ advantage was nullified and reversed when Logan Sargeant’s Williams stopped at Turn 4, triggering the entry of the Safety Car, catching McLaren off guard.
While Verstappen and the other drivers were called into the pits to switch to intermediates, Norris continued to circulate for one more lap, undoing his previous progress as he dropped to third position. McLaren had a bit of bad luck in this regard, as Norris’ unmatched speed meant he was on the pit straight when the Safety Car was deployed. However, split-second decisions like these are where races can be won or lost, especially when the margins are so narrow.
A hallmark of a championship team is the ability to make decisions that seem obvious in retrospect, and McLaren is still adjusting to the heightened demands at the highest level of competition.
Christian Horner, head of the Red Bull team, pointed out that McLaren’s decision to switch to slick tires gave them another opportunity. McLaren chose to take a risk with an overcut strategy, which allowed Norris to regain the lead until a wet exit from the pits allowed Verstappen to overtake him.
Horner argued that Norris could have maintained the lead if McLaren had pitted while Verstappen was struggling to generate grip on the medium compound tires. Norris was still gaining time compared to the cars behind him until the pit stop. Horner explained that McLaren should have anticipated that Norris would have to go through the same phase that his rivals had already experienced two laps earlier.
Stella, a representative from McLaren, stated that the team is waiting for updates to the MCL38 in order to have a chance to win races on merit. However, Stella emphasized that even if Norris had held onto his position on the track, it would not have guaranteed a victory due to Mercedes’ advantage in dry conditions.
However, this ignores the fact that last weekend was not just about having the fastest car. McLaren missed an opportunity that was within their reach. As Verstappen mentioned after the race, Red Bull is not in the same dominant form as last season. Verstappen’s weekend was compromised by an electrical issue, forcing him to use an older power unit.
These minor setbacks demonstrate that Red Bull is not invincible as it was in the previous season. However, the team still operates smoothly and can rely on their driver to make a difference even when they are not at their best. Verstappen made a mistake by going through the grass at Turn 1, allowing Norris to overtake him. But Verstappen managed to ensure that the action behind him did not pose a significant threat.
After speculations of a possible title fight after the Monaco Grand Prix, Red Bull responded emphatically with a victory on a challenging circuit. There is a sinister sign that Red Bull will return to form when F1 arrives in Barcelona for a series of more conventional tracks.
However, even if the other teams continue to close the gap, it will require more determination and skill from the pit wall and the drivers to overcome the formidable combination of Red Bull and Verstappen.
2024
Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo scored an incredible goal during last night’s match. The Portuguese player, who currently plays for the Italian club Juventus, once again showed his exceptional skill by scoring a bicycle kick goal in the last minute of the game. The impressive play left fans ecstatic and garnered many praises on social media.
Ronaldo, known for his impeccable technique and ability to score goals in difficult situations, once again showed why he is considered one of the best players in the world. His bicycle kick goal was a true display of skill and precision, leaving the opposing goalkeeper with no chance of defense.
The match between Juventus and their local rival, Milan, was highly contested and full of excitement. Both teams fought until the last minute, but it was Ronaldo who shone in the end. His bicycle kick goal secured the victory for Juventus and left the fans and teammates in ecstasy.
With this goal, Cristiano Ronaldo continues to write his name in the history of football. His skill and talent are undeniable, and he continues to impress fans and sports experts. The Portuguese player has already won numerous titles throughout his career and seems determined to achieve even more.
Juventus fans are celebrating after last night’s thrilling victory. Ronaldo’s bicycle kick goal will certainly be remembered as one of the most incredible moments in football this year. The fans hope that the star will continue to shine and score spectacular goals like this in the future.
Juventus’ next challenge will be against Napoli, and fans are eager to see what Cristiano Ronaldo will do on the field. With his skill and determination, it is likely that he will continue to surprise and delight football fans around the world.
