Max Verstappen, from the Netherlands, driving for Red Bull Racing, overtakes Lewis Hamilton, from Great Britain, who is driving for Mercedes AMG F1, during the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, China, on April 20, 2024. This race is part of the Formula 1 World Championship and took place on Sprint and Qualifying Day.
George Russell questioned whether Formula 1 should have stricter regulations regarding cost limits and aerodynamic testing in response to Red Bull’s continued dominance in the standings. Since the introduction of cost cap regulations in 2021, the field has become more balanced, with the 20 cars separated by just over a second in qualifying conditions. Controlled spending and the sliding scale of allowed time for aerodynamic development based on Constructors’ position have also contributed to a tighter field. However, Russell questions whether even stricter regulations are necessary considering Red Bull’s recent success.
“I believe that the changes we are seeing in the regulations, such as the cost cap and wind tunnel time limitations, will bring the field closer together. But should we be even more aggressive?” Russell expressed to the media before the Miami Grand Prix. “I’m not sure, because currently no one can reach Red Bull even with these measures in place. We should just focus on our own performance and strive to do the best job possible. We should aim to improve our position, but we should also be realistic and acknowledge that Red Bull is significantly ahead of everyone else. Maybe only in 2026 will they face a real challenge for the title.”
From Russell’s comments, McLaren and Lando Norris have become the second team and driver duo to defeat Max Verstappen and Red Bull in the first six races of the championship. In comparison, it took until the 15th race in Singapore for a driver outside of Red Bull to achieve a victory, which was accomplished by Carlos Sainz. Despite McLaren and even Ferrari making progress in closing the gap to Red Bull this year, the Milton Keynes-based team is widely favored to win their third consecutive title. Whether Red Bull can be overcome next year is still uncertain, but regardless, they will be considered the dominant force in this era of regulations.
Russell recognizes this pattern as a common occurrence in modern Formula 1, to which all competing teams must adapt. “When you join a team like Mercedes, we all have the goal of winning, and the same goes for Ferrari and McLaren,” he said. “It wasn’t any different when Red Bull dominated during the Mercedes era, and unfortunately, that’s the nature of Formula 1. Domination is always present. If you look back 30 years, you had Williams, McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull, and now Mercedes taking turns dominating the sport.”
© 2024
