Following Lando Norris’ maiden Grand Prix win in Miami, the onus is now on McLaren to put the pressure on Red Bull- F1’s most dominant team over the last two years. Bullish about their chances, McLaren’s CEO Zak Brown feels that they can use the turmoil within Red Bull to their advantage.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1’s Craig Slater, Brown said,
“I think there are a lot of issues going on there. I think the least of the issues is probably on track. With what’s happened at the start of the year, the constant noise, [and] now Adrian Newey’s leaving – I think there is going to be more dominoes to fall.”
Brown is alluding to the controversies at Red Bull behind the scenes. It all started with Team Principal Christian Horner being put under investigation because of a complaint lodged against him for inappropriate behavior towards a female employee.
Horner was exonerated of the grievances. But a power struggle ensued between the Thai owners (who backed Horner) and Oliver Mintzlaff (Red Bull GmbH Managing Director). Max Verstappen and Helmut Marko were reportedly in the latter’s corner, making the situation even worse.
This hasn’t affected Red Bull’s performance much on the track (yet). Brown admits that Red Bull is still the fastest team on the track. However, it did contribute heavily to Adrian Newey putting in his resignation papers earlier this month, as per reports.
Cracks have begun to appear within the Red Bull camp, and their rivals have taken advantage of it.
McLaren won its first race since Monza 2021 (in Miami) and Ferrari won the Australian GP earlier this year. Both look closer to Red Bull than they did at this stage last season and with more upgrades set to come in, the battle for the crown could heat up in the months to come.
Red Bull under pressure in 2024
The RB20 is still the benchmark of the field this year. However, it doesn’t appear to be as dominant as its predecessor- the RB19. With Newey now stepping aside from the car’s development, Ferrari and McLaren out-pacing the Austrian stable and assuming a lead in the Championship is not an unfathomable thought anymore.
Another threat to Red Bull’s dominance is on the horizon in the form of the 2026 regulation reset. Newey’s input could have been crucial in them holding on to their superiority.
Now, that expertise could fall into the hands of Ferrari, which remains Newey’s most likely destination.
However, McLaren doesn’t want to wait until 2026 to try and dethrone Max Verstappen. To capitalize on this reported turmoil within the team, its rivals are ready to pounce on any opportunity at the earliest.
