Red Bull leads the 2024 Constructors’ Championship, but their advantage is only by a narrow margin of 24 points. The team has dominated the ground effect era since 2022, but in recent races, the balance of power has begun to shift away from them. Despite leading both championships after eight rounds, their rivals are not far behind. Ferrari is just 24 points behind in the Constructors’ Championship and is also closely competing with Red Bull in the drivers’ battle.
The increase in performance from their competitors has presented challenges for Red Bull, and former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher believes the Austrian team is in a precarious position. The RB20 car has not proven to be exceptionally powerful, and with improvements made by McLaren and Ferrari, this year’s championship battle has become highly competitive.
Schumacher not only emphasized the need for Red Bull to improve their performance, but also mentioned the ongoing speculation about Max Verstappen’s future with Mercedes. He believes that if things go wrong within the team, Verstappen will not hesitate to switch to another team on the grid. Mercedes is eager to secure Verstappen for the 2025 season.
Max Verstappen is currently one of the most sought-after drivers in Formula 1. Although Red Bull has a contract with him until the end of 2028, if things don’t go well this year, contracts may be terminated. The Milton Keynes-based team will be under scrutiny throughout 2024 for several reasons.