The concerns for Red Bull continue to get worse as neither of their drivers have finished on the podium in three of the last four races. While Max Verstappen finished on the podium in his home race of Zandvoort, Sergio Perez’s last podium came all the way back in China. Amid such a concerning drop in form for the team, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has given both drivers targets for the rest of the campaign.
According to Speedweek.com, Marko said, “The lead in the constructors’ cup has shrunk to eight points. We certainly don’t have to write off the manufacturer’s title. Because if Max starts winning again, then placings between 3rd and 5th place for Checo will be enough to successfully defend this title.”
: Max Verstappen’s input helped Red Bull identify a crucial “weakness” in the RB20 after their struggles at Monza, where the team lost ground in both championships. Helmut Marko confirmed they plan to revert to earlier setups to restore the car’s balance. Verstappen expressed… pic.twitter.com/ez02g6I6La
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Marko explained how Mercedes’ win in Budapest followed by Ferrari’s triumph in Monza prevented McLaren from taking the lead in the championship. Although both the Prancing Horse and the Silver Arrows are capable of denying McLaren from winning, Red Bull would like to take control of their destiny in their own hands.
This is because even if the current trend continues until the end of the season, McLaren will win the Constructors’ Championship. In order to address their drop in form, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has claimed that his side is working on resolving the RB20’s balance issues before the Azerbaijan GP. Despite doing so, they are yet unlikely to have enough pace to challenge McLaren for wins.
Verstappen does not expect Red Bull to win both championships
After Verstappen only managed to finish sixth in Italy, he was asked if he expects Red Bull to retain their titles this year. In reply, the Dutchman said, according to Speedcafe,
“Both championships are not realistic. It’s basically up to the team now to come up with a lot of changes because we went from a very dominant car to an undrivable car in the space of what, six to eight months. That is very weird for me and need to turn the car upside down“.
Considering the way Red Bull have been struggling recently, McLaren can take the lead in the Constructors’ Championship after the race in Baku, two weeks from now, as they only have an eight-point deficit to cover. However, Verstappen has much more leeway when it comes to the Drivers’ Championship.
He currently has a 62-point advantage over McLaren’s Lando Norris, who has been struggling to win races despite having the best car on the grid recently.
