Four wins in five races imply that one of the remaining 19 competitors must win at least four races to have a chance of winning as soon as possible, while hoping for Verstappen to have a breakdown. It is absurd to consider the possibility of the Dutch ace securing his fourth consecutive F1 championship before the end of this season. We declare him Champion after the race in Japan…
Verstappen’s triumph in China raises his total number of Grand Prix victories to 58. Only Lewis Hamilton (103) and Michael Schumacher (91) have achieved more victories in the history of F1. Remarkably, Verstappen is only 26 years old!
Furthermore, Red Bull introduced a significant upgrade for the RB20, designed by the talented Adrian Newey & Co. Verstappen made the most of this upgrade during qualifying and the race. Additionally, Perez’s performance on Saturday in Shanghai allowed him to secure the front row of the grid. The car is undeniably fast!
It is no surprise that Marko has expressed his confidence: “Five race weekends, five different tracks, five pole positions for Max Verstappen and four wins. At this stage, we can confidently state that our car is fast on any type of circuit.
“We must acknowledge that the tire wear experienced in Melbourne was exceptionally high for Red Bull. Regarding Sergio Pérez, we are not sure if the damage to his car influenced his performance. However, data from the long races also indicate excessive wear.”
Marko also revealed that Verstappen’s race in Shanghai was not as smooth as it seemed from the outside: “Max had a critical moment just before the checkered flag, when he passed through debris at a speed of 300 km/h.
“In the worst-case scenario, carbon shards could instantly puncture a tire. We were not aware of the extent of the debris and how it affected Max, because he was the first to encounter them. This is always a cause for concern.”
However, the concerns were unfounded, as Verstappen took another step towards his fourth F1 title. Marko added: “Max is on track to successfully defend his championship. Despite the challenges of last season, he continues to improve. This is evident in his car setup.
“Even during a sprint weekend, like in Shanghai, we are gradually progressing, from free practice to sprint qualifying. There is a harmonious relationship between Max and his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase.
“Max is no longer impatient, but approaches his goals calmly and with focus: aiming for pole position, if possible, but with the main focus on the race. This combination of skills, along with excellent tire management, makes him unbeatable at the moment,” Marko believes, echoing the sentiments of legendary race drivers who praise Verstappen.
Despite the significant advantage over his rivals, Marko remains cautious about future challenges: “In Miami or Monaco, tracks where our competitors could potentially narrow the gap, it may not be easy to secure pole position. The competition, especially in qualifying, has become more intense. We anticipate a tough battle for pole position.”
Marko has also developed a sympathy for Perez and the progress that the experienced Mexican driver has made this season: “I am also pleased to see that Checo is delivering stronger performances in the early stages of this season compared to last year.
“Pérez no longer enters the race with the sole intention of defeating Max. With that, I am also referring to the fact that, in 2023, he adopted a different approach in terms of setup in an attempt to find speed. He has abandoned this approach and is now following a similar path to Verstappen when it comes to setup. As a result, he is losing less time and performing significantly better, especially in qualifying, compared to 2023.
“There is also little to criticize in the races: if it weren’t for the unfortunate timing of the safety car periods, Checo probably would have finished in second place in China. However, when he gets stuck in traffic, he is unable to fully utilize his tire-saving skills. Instead, he has to fight to advance, and that usually comes down to the tires.”
Marko also admitted to having mixed feelings about the sprint race weekend format, which was introduced in China last weekend: “We have now had the first sprint race weekend of the year, with the second one coming soon in Miami. I have two different opinions about the sprint format.
“Red Bull is the organizer of the Austrian Grand Prix. It is simply an additional advantage for the spectators and, therefore, for the organizer, to offer a qualifying session on Friday and a race on Saturday. These two days are easier to promote compared to the traditional weekend format. That is the commercial aspect.
“On the sporting side, I am more inclined towards the traditional process because the sprint format takes something away from the main event. Additionally, since competitors only have one free practice session, the coordination can be wrong, as we experienced two years ago in Brazil.
“With the rules in force at the time, which allowed very limited modifications to the car, a race was essentially lost. Marko expressed his conclusion about the sprint: although it may be satisfying as an organizer, it is not as enjoyable for a racing fan,” expressed the veteran Austrian of motorsport.
Looking beyond his own Red Bull team, Marko found encouragement in the confusion among rival teams: “Behind Red Bull Racing, we witnessed fluctuations in performance among the chasers. This brings me joy, as it means our lead increases when someone consistently finishes behind us.
“In China, we were surprised to see Lando Norris emerge as the second strongest competitor with McLaren. We expected Ferrari to be stronger. However, they failed to get close to the top three in terms of long races, qualifying, or races.
“Setting aside Red Bull drivers for a moment, Norris impressed the other drivers. He has a better position compared to Oscar Piastri at McLaren compared to last year.
“Carlos Sainz continues, consistently staying ahead of Charles Leclerc at Ferrari, except in China. This applies even to qualifying, which surprised me. Sainz demonstrates a very aggressive approach in qualifying and impressively won in Australia.”
Fernando Alonso, the star of the show and even considered Driver of the Day by some, also caught Marko’s attention at Aston Martin: “And, of course, there’s Fernando Alonso, who showed his incredible skills in the final practice sessions and demonstrated his immense ability to duel in races, as seen in his battle with Pérez in Shanghai – he never backs down.”
After the conclusion of the 5th stage of the 2024 F1 World Championship in China, Verstappen and Red Bull are on their way to secure this year’s title with little competition, as evidenced by the points table below.
© 2024
Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton achieved an impressive victory at the Monaco Grand Prix. With an exceptional performance, Hamilton once again showed why he is considered one of the greatest drivers in the history of the sport.
The race was full of excitement, with Hamilton overtaking his competitors and leading most of the time. His skill and determination were evident, and he managed to withstand the pressure from other drivers until the finish line.
Hamilton received praise from all sides, with many saying that his victory in Monaco was one of the best of his career. The British driver is now closer to winning his eighth world title, which would place him at the top of the Formula 1 champions list.
With his victory in Monaco, Hamilton also became the most successful driver in the history of the Monaco Grand Prix, surpassing the record previously held by Ayrton Senna.
Hamilton’s fans are celebrating the victory and are eager to see what the future holds for the British driver. With his talent and dedication, he is likely to continue achieving great feats in the sport.
However, Hamilton also faced some criticism after the race. Some questioned his overtaking tactics and alleged that he received help from his team to secure the victory. However, Hamilton denied these accusations and stated that his victory was earned on his own merit.
Regardless of the criticism, there is no doubt that Lewis Hamilton is one of the greatest drivers of all time. His victory at the Monaco Grand Prix is just another example of his talent and determination. With the world championship approaching, all eyes will be on Hamilton to see if he can continue to dominate the sport.
