Four out of five victories implies that one of the remaining 19 competitors must win at least four races in order to have a chance of winning as quickly as possible, while also hoping for Verstappen to encounter a breakdown. It is absurd to even consider the possibility of the Dutch ace securing his fourth consecutive F1 championship well before the end of this season. We declared him the Champion after the race in Japan…
Verstappen’s triumph in China brings his total number of Grand Prix wins to 58. Only Lewis Hamilton (103) and Michael Schumacher (91) have achieved more victories in the history of F1. Remarkably, Verstappen is only 26 years old!
Moreover, Red Bull has introduced a significant update to the RB20, designed by the talented Adrian Newey & Co. Verstappen fully utilized this upgrade during qualifying and the race. Additionally, Perez’s performance on Saturday in Shanghai allowed him to secure the front row of the grid. The car is undeniably fast!
It comes as no surprise that Marko expressed his confidence: “Five race weekends, five different tracks, five pole positions for Max Verstappen, and four victories. At this stage, we can confidently state that our car is fast on any type of circuit.
“We must acknowledge that the tire wear experienced in Melbourne was unusually high for Red Bull. Regarding Sergio Pérez, we are uncertain whether the damage to his car influenced his performance. However, the data from the long runs also indicates excessive wear.”
Marko also revealed that Verstappen’s race in Shanghai was not as smooth as it appeared from the outside: “Max had a critical moment shortly before the checkered flag when he drove over debris at a speed of 300 km/h.
“In the worst-case scenario, carbon splinters could instantaneously puncture a tire. We were unaware of the extent of the debris and how it affected Max because he was the first to encounter it. It is always a cause for concern.”
Nevertheless, concerns were unfounded as Verstappen took another step towards his fourth F1 title. Marko added, “Max is on the right path to successfully defend his championship. Despite the challenges posed by last season, he continues to improve. This is evident in his car setup.
“Even during a sprint format weekend like in Shanghai, we are gradually making progress, from free practice to sprint qualifying. There is a harmonious relationship between Max and his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase.
“Max is no longer impatient, but instead approaches his goals calmly and with focus: aiming for pole position if possible, but with the main focus on the race. This combination of skills, along with excellent tire management, makes him unbeatable at the moment,” Marko believes, echoing the sentiments of legendary race drivers who praise Verstappen.
Despite the significant advantage over their rivals, Marko remains cautious about the challenges ahead: “In Miami or Monaco, tracks where our competitors could potentially close the gap, it may not be easy to secure pole position. The competition, particularly in qualifying, has become more intense. We anticipate a tough battle for pole position.”
Marko has also developed a liking for Perez and the progress the experienced Mexican driver has made this season: “I am also pleased to see that Checo is delivering stronger performances in the early stages of this season compared to last year.
“Pérez no longer enters the race with the sole intention of defeating Max. By this, I am also referring to the fact that in 2023, he took a different approach in terms of setup in an attempt to find speed. He abandoned that approach and is now following a similar path to Verstappen when it comes to setup. As a result, he is losing less time and performing significantly better, particularly in qualifying, compared to 2023.
“There is also little to criticize in the races: if it weren’t for the unfortunate timing of the safety car periods, Checo would have probably finished second in China. However, when he gets stuck in traffic, he is unable to fully utilize his tire-saving abilities. Instead, he has to fight his way forward, and that usually comes down to the tires.”
Marko also admitted that he has mixed feelings about the Sprint Race weekend format, which was introduced in China this past weekend: “We have now had the first sprint weekend of the year, with the second one coming soon in Miami. I have two different opinions about the sprint format.
“Red Bull is the organizer of the Austrian Grand Prix. It is simply an added bonus for the spectators and therefore for the organizer to offer them a qualifying session on Friday and a race on Saturday. These two days are easier to promote compared to the traditional weekend format. That is the commercial aspect.
“On the sporting side, I am more inclined towards the traditional process because the sprint format takes away something from the main event. Additionally, since the competitors only have one free practice session, the coordination can be off, as we experienced two years ago in Brazil.
“With the rules in place at the time, which allowed very limited modifications to the car, a race was essentially lost. Marko stated his conclusion on the sprint: while it may be satisfying as an organizer, it is not as enjoyable for a racing fan,” expressed the Austrian motorsport veteran.
Looking beyond his own Red Bull team, Marko found encouragement in the disarray among rival camps: “Behind Red Bull Racing, we witness fluctuations in performance among the pursuers. This brings me joy, as it means our lead increases when someone consistently finishes behind us.
“In China, we were surprised to see Lando Norris emerge as the second strongest contender with McLaren. We had expected Ferrari to be stronger. However, they were unable to come close to the top three in terms of long runs, qualifying, or the races.
“Setting aside the Red Bull drivers for a moment, Norris has made a great impression on the other drivers. He has a better hold on Oscar Piastri at McLaren compared to last year.
“Carlos Sainz follows, consistently staying ahead of Charles Leclerc at Ferrari except for China. This even applies to qualifying, which surprised me. Sainz demonstrates a very aggressive approach in qualifying and impressively won in Australia.”
Fernando Alonso, the star of the show and even considered the Driver of the Day by some, also caught Marko’s attention at Aston Martin: “And of course, there is Fernando Alonso, who showcased his incredible skills in the final training sessions and demonstrated his immense ability to duel in the races, as seen in his battle with Pérez in Shanghai – he never backs down.”
Following the conclusion of Round 5 of the 2024 F1 World Championship in China, Verstappen and Red Bull are on their way to securing this year’s title with little competition, as evidenced by the points table below.