Lewis Hamilton left the Brazilian Grand Prix feeling defeated as Mercedes had a terrible weekend.
Christian Horner asserted that Red Bull’s title defenses in 2024 would not be as straightforward as anticipated following Lewis Hamilton’s statement that Mercedes, McLaren, and Ferrari have no chance of catching them before the new rules take effect in 2026.
Red Bull has dominated the market in 2023, largely thanks to the feats of Max Verstappen, who is at the peak of his abilities. One of the most illustrious individual campaigns in Formula One history will be this year.
Among the 20 Grands Prix this season, Carlos Sainz’s well-earned victory in Singapore is the only one won by a driver not wearing Red Bull overalls. Of those victories, Verstappen has claimed a record-breaking 17.
Hamilton, on the other hand, has yet to end a winless streak that began with the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in 2021. The seven-time world champion finished in pole position in Hungary after turning in a thrilling lap, but he was unable to convert that into a full 25 points.
After Mercedes’ worst race of the year at Interlagos, a disheartened Hamilton remarked, “I think the Red Bull is so far away.” I believe they will most likely be extremely evident over the coming years.
When asked about the preliminary data regarding Red Bull’s 2024 vehicle, Horner retorted, “It’s never easy to read too much into those things.” I believe that this time of year sees a lot of world championships won in the wind tunnel.
“I think we have a great vehicle and a solid foundation. We must continue to evolve it, but since you’re reaching the peak of the curve, the returns will inevitably decrease.
And it will concertina, as you can see. We will undoubtedly be stretched further as it gets closer. The team, however, is incredibly driven. Nobody has taken a break since we won the title, as you can see. Everyone remains totally focused.
Horner’s analysis suggests that Hamilton has some hope. Even though the Red Bull team went on to win both World Championships, the team principal recalled their difficulties at the Brazilian Grand Prix last season and described how they served as a catalyst to help the team move forward.
“You have got to keep improving in all areas,” Horner continued. “I think leaving this race [in Brazil] last year hurt, in that our performance wasn’t as strong as we would have liked. We felt we didn’t get the set-up right. So we learned the lessons from last year and we applied them well and focused a car on the race.”
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