Red Bull at risk of losing both F1 championships, admits Horner
Christian Horner, team principal of Red Bull Racing, has raised an urgent alarm, stating that his team risks losing both the drivers' and constructors' championships if persistent issues aren't resolved swiftly. This admission comes on the heels of a challenging Italian Grand Prix where the team's performance continued to dip.
Max Verstappen saw his championship lead over McLaren's Lando Norris reduced from 70 points to 62 following a sixth-place finish at Monza. Meanwhile, McLaren has closed in to just eight points behind Red Bull in the constructors' standings, highlighting the mounting pressure on the reigning champions.
"With the pace we had today... both championships absolutely will be under pressure, for sure, we have to turn the situation around very quickly," Horner stated.
After a dominant start to the season, where Verstappen secured seven wins in the first ten races, the Dutch driver has now gone six consecutive races without a victory. Teammate Sergio Pérez has not finished higher than sixth over the past ten races, accentuating the team's struggles.
Verstappen voiced his concerns at Monza, saying that winning both titles is "not realistic" given the team's current form. This sentiment is shared by Horner, who acknowledged that the specific characteristics of the Italian circuit put their car's deficiencies on full display.
"I think this circuit has exposed the deficiencies we have in the car versus last year," Horner explained. "We know we have to get on top of and address [them], otherwise we put ourselves under massive pressure."
Both Red Bull drivers have expressed frustrations over finding the right "balance" in the car. Verstappen pointed to an introduction of imbalance this year, while Horner believes the issues have been inherent since the beginning of the season.
"I think it's been there for some time," Horner noted. "Others have obviously made a step and as we've pushed the package harder, it's exposed the issue."
The lack of reliable front-end responsiveness and unpredictable oversteer on corner entry have been prominent complaints. According to Horner, recent upgrades have exacerbated these issues by disconnecting the front and rear of the car.
"Our wind tunnel doesn't say that, but the track says that, so it's getting on top of that," he added. The team now relies on track data and previous experience to address these discrepancies.
Red Bull Racing in Urgent Need for Solutions
Horner emphasized the team's focus on finding solutions, acknowledging the critical timing between races to introduce fixes.
"I think there are certain fixes that potentially can be introduced, perhaps not to resolve the whole issue, but to address some of it," he said. "We've now got a 2-week gap before Baku and Singapore, then another mini-break that we can work in, between Singapore and Austin, so this time now is crucial."
As Red Bull Racing heads into a crucial phase of the season, the team must resolve their performance issues urgently to keep their championship hopes alive.
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