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Verstappen gives verdict on whether Red Bull can win again in 2024 as barren run continues

Max Verstappen has expressed doubtsabout whether Red Bull can return to winning form this season, as their winless streak extended to five races following the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. Verstappen, who finished second to McLaren’s Lando Norris throughout the weekend, acknowledged that the RB20 was not competitive enough to fight for victory.

During the Dutch Grand Prix, Verstappen struggled to match Norris’s pace. After both qualifying and the race, he admitted that the Red Bull car lacked the speed necessary to challenge for the top position, underscoring the team’s recent struggles. Despite a strong start to the season, where Verstappen and Red Bull seemed nearly unstoppable, the team’s form has dipped significantly, raising concerns as the championship heads into the final stretch.

Heading into the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Verstappen’s lead in the drivers’ standings has narrowed to 70 points over Norris, while Red Bull’s advantage in the constructors’ standings has been slashed to just 30 points. This marks a stark contrast to last season, when Red Bull led the constructors’ standings by over 300 points at this stage.

When asked during a media session on Thursday whether he believes Red Bull will have the car to win again this season, Verstappen was candid in his assessment. “At the moment, we don’t [have a car to win], but there are a lot of different tracks coming up where hopefully we can do better,” he said. Verstappen added that while he does not expect every weekend to be as challenging as Zandvoort, the team needs to find a better balance in the car to be more competitive.

“It’s a more difficult period than we would’ve liked, that’s for sure,” Verstappen admitted. “But everyone is trying to stick together and improve it. We’re working very hard to find more performance again.” Despite the recent struggles, Verstappen pointed out that even a difficult weekend still saw him finish second, which is a testament to the team’s resilience. However, he made it clear that simply finishing on the podium is not enough. “We want more – we want to win, or at least challenge for a win,” he emphasized. “In Zandvoort, that was definitely not the case, but I’m confident that we can be more competitive than what we showed.”

As the team prepares for the Italian Grand Prix, Verstappen stressed the importance of focusing on themselves rather than worrying about the form of rivals like McLaren. He noted that Red Bull has “a few ideas to try” in order to regain their competitive edge and challenge McLaren in the upcoming races.

While Verstappen is naturally eager to return to winning ways, he downplayed concerns about McLaren’s recent dominance and the possibility that Norris could dominate the rest of the season. “It might happen, but it’s not in my control,” Verstappen said, emphasizing the importance of focusing on what he can influence. “I only try to control the things that are in my control. That, I cannot control, so you shouldn’t waste any energy on that because it’s not in my hands.”

Verstappen concluded by reiterating his focus on improving both his own performance and the car’s balance. He believes that achieving a better balance will naturally lead to better performance and help Red Bull get back to winning ways as the season progresses.