Red Bull admits it expected ‘massive competition’ in Max Verstappen’s record-breaking 2023 season

Max Verstappen triumphed in an insane 19 Grand Prix during the 22 race F1 calendar.

Red Bull admits it expected ‘massive competition’ in Max Verstappen’s record-breaking 2023 season

Max Verstappen (via IMAGO)

Red Bull hit the ground running with the 2022 ground effect era of regulations. On the contrary, it was not the only team at the sharp end as Ferrari won the season opener with a 1-2 finish. This soon changed as the Austrian giant reclaimed the top spot. However, witnessing such harsh competition, the Milton Keynes-based squad expected a tough challenge for the 2023 season.

Max Verstappen came in as the defending champion in 2022 and increased his championship tally to two. However, his tough early season made him prepared for the next season as he won 19 races in a record-breaking season. His win percentage has never been matched by anyone in the history of the sport and etched his name in the history books as one of the greatest.

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Despite his impressive campaign, the Austrian giant did not look in a comfortable position heading into the 2023 season causing an atmosphere of frenzy within the team.

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When we started the 2022 season, we didn’t have the quickest car. Ferrari had the quickest car in the beginning of 2022. We expected a massive competition in 2023, but that didn’t happen. In 2024 we also expected the competition to be there more or less from the start, because the performance you can find with the car is limited under the same regulations. After the first four or five races the others came back, maybe with a bit of delay, but we expected that from the start.
Pierre Wache said in an interview with Motorsport

The team’s technical director, Pierre Wache, explained how the rivals did not meet the team’s anticipation. On the contrary, they increased their gap over the field but the rivals came to backbite soon in 2024 as the teams finally caught up to them and have been snubbing wins away from them.

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Red Bull revealed problems hampering RB20’s development

Despite winning half of the races so far this year, Red Bull only has a small lead of 42 points over McLaren. Moreover, this lead has shrunk to more than half in the seven races over the English squad urging Red Bull to reflect upon the hurdles in their way for developing the RB20.

Red Bull's Pierre Wache (via IMAGO)
Pierre Wache (via IMAGO)

Subsequently, Wache elucidated their struggles in recent times.

I think some aspects can be linked to the correlation. We are using quite an old wind tunnel and it can also be linked to the reduced capacity due to our position in the championship [with the ATR testing restrictions] and maybe also the fact that this is the third year with this type of regulations.
Pierre Wache said in an interview with Motorsport

The 49-year-old claimed that they have an old wind tunnel in Milton Keynes which might be to blame. However, their aerodynamic testing restrictions would have halted their progress and acted as a double whammy for them.

Despite Wache blaming the ATR restrictions, the scale is based on the previous standings. Thus, all teams have to bear similar consequences which would emphasize the team’s drivers competing at the same level which Red Bull has been deprived of lately.

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