Red Bull risks destroying it’s F1 future if it doesn’t fix the RB20
Red Bull might find itself in a dire state in the coming years if the team does not fix the issues of the RB20.
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Max Verstappen and Red Bull RB20 (images via IMAGO)
Red Bull Racing was the force to beat in Formula since the ground-effect era. However, things have changed drastically for the reigning world champions this season. Max Verstappen risks losing the title to Lando Norris with six races to go.
Max Verstappen had a steady start to the season with seven victories in the first ten races. Unfortunately, the Dutch driver has gone through a difficult period since with no wins in the past eight races, something which hasn’t happened for years.
This drastic change in performance could be credited directly to the Red Bull RB20. Verstappen has struggled to get the pace out of the car in recent races. With Milton Keynes admitting that the car has severe balance issues. Now, Red Bull could find itself in a dismal state in the long-term if it does not fix the car’s issues.
Why Red Bull’s future depends on the RB20
Red Bull spearheaded the ground-effect regulations in 2022 and out-developed the entire grid. This led to Max Verstappen’s historic 2023 campaign where he shattered several records. However, that same campaign failed due to cracks emerging within its development efforts.
Christian Horner recently admitted that the first misstep made by Red Bull was in the upgrade package for the 2023 Spanish GP. It took over a year for the team to understand this error as Max Verstappen simply outdrove the car at every race.
Now, Red Bull seems to have already accepted its defeat to McLaren for the team’s title this season. Fixing the RB20 is necessary not only for Verstappen to defend his title, but for Milton Keynes’ 2025 campaign. The Austrian team would be on the back foot next season if it can’t find a solution by the end of this year.
Moreover, this could reduce the morale and confidence within the team before the 2026 rule shake-up. Max Verstappen might even decide to jump ship to a team like Mercedes if he loses faith in Milton Keynes. As such, a lot depends on the last few rounds of the 2024 season for Red Bull.
Certainly, the Austrian team will do its best to fix the RB20 before the season’s end. However, time is running out for the reigning world champions. Fans would hope that Verstappen win his fourth F1 title this year despite the recent struggles.
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Armaan Agarwal
(2329 Articles Published)