Red Bull, once the undisputed leader of the 2024 Formula 1 season, now finds itself grappling with a steep decline in form as McLaren surges ahead. While Max Verstappen maintains a 52-point lead over Lando Norris in the Driver’s Championship, the team is shockingly trailing McLaren by 41 points in the Constructors’ standings, a position unimaginable at the start of the year.
F1 legend Mario Andretti has chimed in on the team’s sudden drop in performance, pointing squarely at Adrian Newey’s departure as the root of their struggles. The iconic designer, long considered the mastermind behind Red Bull’s engineering dominance, left the team earlier in the season, and according to Andretti, Red Bull has been in freefall ever since.
Newey’s Departure: The Catalyst of Red Bull’s Woes
Andretti, who worked alongside Newey during the 1980s, believes Red Bull’s current woes can be directly tied to the loss of their longtime technical chief. “It may be a coincidence, but ever since Newey announced he was leaving the team, Red Bull have declined,” the 1978 World Champion told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
The loss of Newey’s expertise has left a gaping hole in Red Bull’s car development, resulting in a machine that Andretti claims has lost its balance. “Max remains great at making the most of what is at his disposal, but he can’t repeat the special performances he used to pull out,” Andretti observed, noting that even the prodigious Verstappen is struggling to extract the same level of dominance from his car, particularly in qualifying and race pace.
Sergio Perez, Verstappen’s teammate, has fared even worse, with Andretti highlighting that Perez’s struggles only compound Red Bull’s issues, leaving Verstappen to fight alone at the front. “Perez is really struggling and therefore can’t help him,” he added, pointing to Red Bull’s increasingly precarious position in the championship fight.
Norris Poses a Real Threat
While Verstappen still leads the Driver’s Championship, Andretti warns that Lando Norris poses a genuine threat as the season nears its climax. The British driver, armed with what is currently the fastest car on the grid, has closed the gap race by race. “His title is at risk,” Andretti stressed. “He must always finish on the podium if Norris is ahead.”
The rise of McLaren has shifted the dynamics of the championship battle, especially with the support Norris receives from his teammate Oscar Piastri, who has shown he’s capable of playing a pivotal role in disrupting Red Bull’s campaign.
Red Bull’s Final Shot
As Red Bull heads to Austin for the United States GP, the team is not only facing on-track pressure but also off-track scrutiny. They’ve admitted to being the team at the center of the recent ride-height adjustment device controversy, further complicating their path forward. However, Andretti believes the team’s technical challenges are more pressing.
“Red Bull must respond and quickly in order to get out of their current technical crisis,” Andretti urged, signaling that the clock is ticking for the Milton Keynes squad. With just six races and three sprints remaining, the fight for both the Driver’s and Constructor’s titles is far from over, and Red Bull must find answers—or face being dethroned by McLaren.
As Formula 1 heads into the final stretch of the season, all eyes are on Red Bull to see if they can recover their early-season form or if McLaren, led by a determined Lando Norris, will snatch the crown away. For now, the drama continues to unfold, and the next race may well set the tone for the remainder of the championship.
