Max Verstappen has acknowledged that Red Bull Racing has shifted its priorities for the remaining races of the 2024 Formula 1 season, using them as an opportunity to refine its approach for 2025. The Dutchman, who already secured his fourth consecutive Drivers’ Championship, emphasized that Red Bull’s attention is now firmly on addressing the shortcomings of the RB20 and preparing its successor, the RB21.
Constructors’ Title Out of Reach
Despite being in mathematical contention for the Constructors’ Championship heading into the Qatar Grand Prix, Red Bull faces an uphill battle. The team sits 53 points behind leaders McLaren, with Ferrari in second. The once-dominant team has been hampered by missteps in development, particularly with aerodynamic adjustments that destabilized the RB20 earlier in the year.
- “Looking at the last races that we’ve had, we’ve not been the quickest, so I don’t expect that to suddenly change here,” Verstappen admitted, tempering expectations for the season’s conclusion.
Using 2024 as a Testing Ground
With the championship slipping away, Verstappen revealed that Red Bull’s primary objective is to extract lessons for the future. He highlighted that the team is focused on fine-tuning their approach to address known issues with car performance.
- “Some things we already know that we want to change for next year, but maybe we find some other things in the car that can be better for next year.”
The updates introduced in Austin succeeded in stabilizing some of the car’s balance issues, but Red Bull has yet to return to its dominant pace. Verstappen noted that the team will use the final two races as a testing ground to validate concepts for 2025, rather than chase results in what remains of the season.
Verstappen on Perez’s Struggles and Team Dynamics
Verstappen also weighed in on teammate Sergio Perez, who has endured a turbulent season. Perez’s inability to extract consistent performance from the RB20 has placed further strain on the team’s Constructors’ Championship hopes. While Verstappen himself has struggled with the car’s handling, he emphasized the importance of adapting to challenging machinery.
- “I also did not enjoy the car for most of the season in terms of handling. But you have to deal with that. Try to overcome the difficulties.”
Verstappen added that recent updates have improved the car’s drivability but admitted they have not been enough to close the gap to McLaren and Ferrari.
Red Bull’s 2025 Aspirations
As Red Bull pivots to 2025, team principal Christian Horner and technical director Pierre Wache are expected to lead a rigorous development cycle. The lessons learned in 2024 could be instrumental in delivering a more competitive package next season. However, Verstappen’s comments reflect a team that acknowledges it has fallen behind its rivals.
With the Constructors’ Championship all but lost, Red Bull is banking on long-term planning to reclaim its dominance, leveraging the final races of 2024 as an extended test session to ensure that the RB21 hits the ground running next season.
