Does Max Verstappen feel the need to watch his back due to the resurgence of Ferrari and McLaren?
Max Verstappen is convinced that the advantage between the top teams will continue to “swing a bit” as Ferrari and McLaren hone in on Red Bull.
Having eased to a third consecutive World Championship in F1 2023 with a record 19 victories, Verstappen had been widely expected to remain as the sport’s dominant force this season.
Max Verstappen expects F1 2024 ‘swings’ between Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren
Additional reporting by Sam Cooper
Yet despite winning four of the first five races, Red Bull have come under threat from McLaren and Ferrari in recent weeks with Verstappen winning just one of the last three rounds.
Verstappen faced defeat against Lando Norris in Miami, but he managed to secure a victory at the following race in Imola by a narrow margin of only 0.725 seconds, successfully fending off the McLaren driver. However, Red Bull encountered a difficult weekend at the Monaco Grand Prix, with Verstappen finishing in sixth place while Charles Leclerc emerged victorious for Ferrari.
Verstappen and Red Bull’s leads in the World Championship have been diminished, as Verstappen is now only 31 points ahead of Leclerc. Additionally, Red Bull’s lead over Ferrari has been reduced to 24 points, as they head into the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix, which marks the ninth round of the 24-race campaign.
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Verstappen has confessed to media outlets, including PlanetF1.com, that he was prepared for a fiercer competition in the 2024 F1 season following his remarkable achievements in 2023.
He is of the opinion that the competition among the top three teams will progress and change at each circuit, with the cars being significantly more evenly matched this year.
He expressed that he was aware that it would never be the same as last year.
It is quite uncommon to have a season like that, so I was always aware that this year would be slightly different.
However, I don’t really concern myself with championship position or anything like that. With plenty of races still to go, it’s not something I dwell on.
“Some races may be more favorable to us, while others may be slightly less advantageous, but overall, everything balances out in the end.”
“The cars have varying performance based on the type of circuit they are on. Some cars excel in street circuits, while others perform better in fast or low-speed corners. As a result, the rankings may fluctuate.”
Throughout the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, Verstappen compared the RB20 to a go-kart due to its difficulty in handling bumps, kerb strikes, and camber changes.
The presence of bumps and kerbs at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve adds to the challenge for the Dutchman, who is preparing himself for another demanding weekend in Montreal.
“He said we must wait and see.”
I believe there will be a new surface that will consistently provide unexpected challenges. As a result, our performance may not be at its peak this weekend, but it should still be slightly better than our current situation.
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