F1 REPORT: Red Bull ‘Finished’ as Christian Horner Warned that.......

Red Bull ‘Finished’ as Christian Horner Warned of More Departures Afte Italian GP Struggles

Christian Horner watched as Red Bull endured their worst weekend of the season at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, with the team facing significant challenges. Ralf Schumacher, former Williams driver, believes Red Bull is “finished” in the ground effect era, as they continue to grapple with the underlying cause of their performance issues. Schumacher also predicted that more key figures within the team will depart in the coming months as a result of their struggles.

The reigning world champions had a tough time in Monza, with Max Verstappen finishing in P6, and his teammate Sergio Perez trailing 16 seconds behind. Their lack of pace saw Red Bull ranked as the fourth-fastest team behind McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari. This performance has raised concerns for the Milton Keynes-based team, who are now only eight points ahead of McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship standings. Ferrari has also re-entered the battle for second after Charles Leclerc’s victory on Sunday. Red Bull now faces the real possibility of ending the season in third place.

Speaking to Sky Germany about Red Bull’s current predicament, Schumacher did not hold back. “Honest answer? This is not going to work out anymore. For me, Red Bull is finished for now. There is uncertainty, and more heads will roll because of that uncertainty and the dissatisfaction within the team,” Schumacher said.

He continued, “The team will need to rebuild, bringing in new personnel while retaining some of the existing members. But they will be under immense pressure from all sides, and this will trigger a chain reaction. Formula 1 moves too fast for a team in Red Bull’s situation to recover easily.”

Schumacher highlighted how rare it is to see a team deteriorate as quickly as Red Bull has throughout the season. “I can’t think of any other example of a team falling off like this during a single season. We’ll soon head to tracks that require more downforce, which should theoretically favor Red Bull, but this problem will persist. They are not going to be able to escape it,” he added.

Christian Horner and Red Bull’s advisor Helmut Marko are well aware that changes need to be made to address the team’s decline, but they face several hurdles on the path to finding a solution. One significant issue is the team’s ongoing struggle with data correlation, a problem that has been plaguing them since late in the 2023 campaign. This disconnect between their data analysis and actual performance on the track has made it difficult for Red Bull to pinpoint and resolve their issues effectively.

At this stage, retaining the Constructors’ Championship title seems unlikely, and even Verstappen’s Drivers’ Championship crown is now under threat. Lando Norris, who is 62 points behind Verstappen, has been steadily gaining ground, and at the current rate of scoring, a showdown for the title in the final race of the season is not out of the question.

However, this hinges on Red Bull’s ability to consistently score points in the coming races. Verstappen is now winless in six Grands Prix, with only two podium finishes during that period. With upcoming races in Baku and Singapore, as well as more sprint events on the horizon, Norris has a prime opportunity to continue applying pressure on Red Bull and Verstappen.

The situation is dire for Red Bull, with Schumacher suggesting that the team is on the brink of collapse unless significant changes are made. With key personnel likely to depart and the team still struggling to get to grips with their performance issues, the once-dominant Red Bull now faces an uphill battle to regain their former glory. As the 2024 season progresses, the team will need to address their data correlation problems, rebuild their internal structure, and find a way to reclaim their competitive edge if they hope to salvage anything from what has become a challenging season.

For now, Christian Horner and his team must confront the reality that their championship hopes are fading fast, with other teams closing the gap and Red Bull’s dominance slipping away.