Red Bull’s Helmut Marko has labeled the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix as a critical “damage limitation” race for his team, as their vulnerabilities this season became painfully clear. Max Verstappen, Red Bull’s lead driver and three-time world champion, fought hard to secure a second-place finish, but it was a far cry from the dominating performances the team is accustomed to.
Verstappen crossed the line 20 seconds behind Lando Norris, who clinched his third win of the season for McLaren. Norris has been in the form of his life, amassing 279 points so far in 2024, while Red Bull has been on the back foot since late June, with Verstappen struggling to extract performance from the RB20.
Marko, the team’s Technical Advisor, hailed Verstappen’s effort in Singapore, considering the second-place finish as good as a win given the circumstances. “Second place [in Singapore] was equivalent to a win for us,” Marko stated, emphasizing how challenging the weekend was for the team.
Despite his struggles, Verstappen still holds a commanding 52-point lead over Norris in the drivers’ championship. But as Red Bull grapples with technical challenges, the focus is now on resolving their car’s issues before the next race in Austin.
Norris, on the other hand, dominated the weekend at Marina Bay, starting from pole and controlling every lap en route to victory. McLaren’s MCL38 has been a force to be reckoned with, especially since the summer break, showcasing superior pace and balance compared to Red Bull’s troubled RB20.
Marko pinpointed the difference in performance, attributing Norris’ dominance to his fresher set of medium tires. “Lando’s dominance was mainly due to the medium tire. He was picking up nine-tenths to one second per lap on us,” Marko explained. He also suggested that even if Red Bull had optimized their setup, Verstappen would have struggled to match Norris’ lap times.
Red Bull’s failure to resolve ongoing issues has left them vulnerable, opening the door for McLaren and Ferrari to challenge their position in the constructors’ championship. With only a few races left in the season, the Milton Keynes squad is in desperate need of a turnaround to keep their slim hopes of securing any silverware alive.
