Fans will forever remember the 2023 F1 season as a one-horse race with Max Verstappen and the team leaving a huge mark on the sport. However, amid their remarkable season, there is a team that can boast about defeating the Dutchman. It was Ferrari that emerged as the only team to stand out and secure victory over Red Bull at the Singapore GP. Considering this, Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur has now outlined a strategic approach to challenge Verstappen in the upcoming year.
Red Bull’s performance was nothing short of extraordinary, clinching victory in an astounding 21 out of 22 Grand Prix races, with Verstappen himself securing an impressive 19 wins. Not only this, his consistency and skill were on full display with 12 victories from the pole position. However, the season peaked with the 26-year-old securing an extraordinary 21 podium finishes out of 22 races. Interestingly Verstappen’s exceptional performance also significantly contributed to the team’s historic total of 860 points.
Yet, even with such a flawless season, a notable occurrence transpired in Singapore, where Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz outperformed Verstappen. Now, considering this, Frederic Vasseur has conveyed his belief that Verstappen might be inclined to make more errors when facing pressure in the upcoming year.
During his conversation with Soy Motor, the 55-year-old said, “There’s no doubting the fact that he was dominating the whole season. The only problem for us and for everyone is that he will make more mistakes when he is under pressure, but no one has been able to put him under pressure this season.”
Following Max Verstappen’ s onslaught Christian Horner and co. expect 2024 F1 field to ‘converge’
Ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 season, Christian Horner foresees increased competition post-Red Bull’s dominant 2023. Since the introduction of new ground effect regulations in 2022, Red Bull won 17 out of 22 races.
Interestingly, their dominance persisted in 2023, achieving a record-breaking 21 victories out of 22 races. Considering this, Horner shared his thoughts on a highly anticipated and hotly contested battle in the upcoming season.
During his conversation with Skysports, the Briton said, ” We’ve got a great basis, so it’s more evolution [of the car] than revolution. But I’m sure it’s going to converge a bit next year, so we can’t rest on our laurels.”
Moreover, Horner noted that leading teams would approach the upcoming year with enthusiasm to challenge Red Bull. Taking this into account he even mentioned the recent impressive achievements of Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren. The Red Bull boss said, “They [competitors] are all great teams. McLaren’s form at the back end of the season, Ferrari, Mercedes. Those big teams are going to be coming out all guns blazing next year.”
