Red Bull’s dominance in Formula 1 hit another roadblock during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as the team faced a surprising downturn in performance, particularly with Max Verstappen. Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s ever-watchful advisor, has voiced confidence in the team’s ability to bounce back, predicting a “more competitive” showing at the United States Grand Prix next month.
In Baku, Verstappen found himself struggling to match the pace of his teammate Sergio Perez for the first time in 33 races, a gap that harks back to the 2023 Miami GP. A wrong setup choice and car balance issues hampered the Dutchman all weekend, and he couldn’t recover the form that has typically kept him at the front of the pack. Verstappen’s complaints about the handling persisted throughout the race, where he ultimately finished behind his main title rival, Lando Norris, who surged from 15th to fourth place.
What sealed Verstappen’s fate in the race was getting stuck behind Alex Albon’s Williams in the opening stint. Unable to capitalize after his pit stop, Verstappen’s chances were diminished, and his lead in the Drivers’ Championship was trimmed once again—now standing at just 59 points. Marko pointed out the impact of being stuck behind Albon, admitting, “We got stuck behind Albon. That ruined Max’s race, but he also didn’t have the speed that Checo did.”
Meanwhile, Sergio Perez, who has had a difficult season plagued by underwhelming results, showed signs of resurgence in Baku. The Mexican was poised to return to the podium after a lengthy drought dating back to April’s Chinese Grand Prix, running competitively throughout the race. However, a late-race crash with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz while fighting for second place dashed those hopes. Both drivers collided on the penultimate lap, and while the stewards decided not to penalize either, Marko firmly placed the blame on Sainz, stating, “Sainz drove into Checo.”
The crash was a massive setback for Red Bull’s hopes in the Constructors’ Championship, as McLaren capitalized on their misfortune. Oscar Piastri’s second career win helped McLaren leapfrog Red Bull by 20 points, putting Red Bull on the back foot in the title fight for the first time since 2022.
Despite these struggles, Marko remains optimistic about the team’s future. While Singapore may continue to pose a challenge, he hinted at a turnaround when the team unveils a more refined package at the Austin GP. “We believe that from Austin we will have a package that should make us more competitive, probably even very competitive,” Marko revealed.
For now, Red Bull faces damage control as the 2024 season enters its final stretch. Though Verstappen only lost three points to Norris in Baku, the team knows it must address its recent issues to reclaim control of the championship battle. With McLaren showing impressive form and Ferrari not far behind, the pressure is mounting for Red Bull to deliver when it matters most.
