IMOLA, ITALY – MAY 17: Max Verstappen, from the Netherlands, and Oracle Red Bull Racing get ready to drive in the garage during practice before the Formula 1 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari Circuit on May 17, 2024 in Imola, Italy. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
However, the Formula 1 World Champions have been facing difficulties since they revealed their 2024 car. This coincided with the scandalous sexting incident involving Christian Horner and a Red Bull teammate. The repercussions of this incident continue to loom in the background, attracting negative attention.
Connected or not, Adrian Newey, widely regarded as the greatest F1 designer and technical chief of the team since its debut in 2005, is stepping back. This has created unrest within the Verstappen Camp.
Has this affected their performance? It’s worth considering the lead they had at the beginning of the season. Until the Miami race, the Red Bulls seemed unbeatable. However, they were defeated. Now, in Imola, it seems they may have lost their position at the top of the hierarchy, seemingly overnight.
The Friday practice session for the 2024 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in Imola did not go well for the Red Bull team. Unfortunately, the struggles continued for both Verstappen and Perez as they tried to control the RB20, as they had done earlier in the year. Inevitably, when a dominant force seems to stumble, caution is wise.
Is Red Bull facing serious difficulties or is this a deliberate strategy to lower their performance? Only time will tell, especially during the upcoming Qualifying session later this afternoon.
At the end of the third practice session on Saturday, Verstappen found himself in sixth place, half a second behind Oscar Piastri’s fastest time in the McLaren. Meanwhile, Sergio Perez, in the other Red Bull, finished in twelfth place, six tenths behind the leader. For a significant period of time, Verstappen has not been considered the favorite for Qualifying.
Damon Hill, a commentator for Sky F1, shared his thoughts: “We haven’t actually seen the true pace of Red Bull, but I believe they are under pressure. This is probably the least dominant they have been in any race in the last two years that I have been present.”
The stage is set for one of the most unpredictable Qualifying sessions in a long time. Three teams and four or five drivers have a legitimate chance of securing a crucial starting position for Sunday’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. And, of course, our theory remains: a determined and motivated Max Verstappen is an incredibly fast Max Verstappen… Read Jad Mallak’s comprehensive report on FP3 here >>>
