Christian Horner is confident that FIA won’t introduce ‘draconian’ regulation changes to end Red Bull’s dominance 

In the second year of the new ground effect regulations, Red Bull’s dominance remains unchallenged, possibly even stronger than when these regulations were introduced in 2022. Max Verstappen, who has already achieved his 10th consecutive race victory, is on the brink of securing his third consecutive title. This remarkable feat not only solidifies his dominance but also establishes new records in Formula 1.

But one thing that is putting pressure on F1 is the lack of competition for the race win, which is affecting the entertainment value of the sport. Historically, in cases of team dominance, the FIA has often introduced regulations aimed at disrupting the order and providing rivals a chance to catch up. However, Red Bull’s team principal, Christian Horner, appeared undisturbed by the prospect of regulatory interventions to reduce their dominance in 2023. 

During a press conference before the 2023 Italian Grand Prix, the British leader expressed his belief that he doesn’t anticipate a recurrence of such interventions until a significant regulatory shift in 2026 when new power units are set to be introduced. He said, as reported by Speedcafe, “I’m not aware of any draconian, significant regulation changes in the pipeline. We have that already for 2026, which will be a complete reset.”

The FIA has suggested a rule change to prevent certain teams from using flexible wing components to boost performance. While Red Bull isn’t concerned about it, Horner believes there won’t be any alterations to the sporting and technical rules. “The technical and sporting playing fields seem to be reasonably content. The financial one,…., but I think the regulations are stable for the next couple of years.” Said Horner before the Italian GP.

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Ferrari and McLaren oppose any rule adjustments aimed at slowing down Red Bull

Supporting the statements made by the Red Bull boss during the press conference, Frederic Vasseur and Andrea Stella both expressed their belief that it wouldn’t be appropriate to introduce artificial rule changes.  The Ferrari boss emphasized that such actions don’t fit right with the dignity of Formula 1, which shouldn’t artificially balance grid performance. Meanwhile, the McLaren team principal stressed their desire to defeat Red Bull based on merit, without assistance.

“I’m not a big fan of the balance of performance or any kind of artifice like this; it’s not the DNA at all of Formula 1….not balance of performance but balance of allocation, and it’s enough,” said Vasseur. Rounding Vasseur’s statement, Stella said, “We don’t want to have any help. We want to close the gap by our own means. And we like this challenge. And that’s what we want for the next couple of years”

F1 faces a challenging situation with decreasing viewership and growing pressure to deliver more thrilling racing and entertainment, especially in the face of Max Verstappen’s dominance and Red Bull’s unstoppable run. However, the competition for second place in the championship has become increasingly intriguing between Aston Martin, Mercedes, and Ferrari. The progress of McLaren and Alpine has further intensified the midfield battle.

In case you missed it:

• Christian Horner claims Red Bull’s F1 dominance will ‘inevitably’ come to a bitter end
• Toto Wolff grudgingly accepts Ferrari was ‘quicker’ than Mercedes in Monza

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