The three-time Formula 1 Champion begins his ninth season as a driver for Red Bull Racing, aiming for his fourth consecutive F1 Drivers Championship. Based on what we observed during the three days of pre-season testing in Bahrain last week, it seems highly unlikely that any other team will surpass the reigning champions.
However, it is always wise to downplay your chances before the season begins, and that is exactly what Verstappen did when discussing the upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix. In a press release from Red Bull, he expressed his anticipation for the weekend ahead. Verstappen acknowledged the valuable lessons learned from testing and emphasized the need to execute everything correctly for a strong start to the season. He also mentioned that given the amount of track time in Bahrain, surprises in terms of setup direction should be minimal. Overall, Verstappen concluded by expressing his excitement to begin racing again.
Sergio Perez, Verstappen’s teammate, is entering the final year of his current contract with Red Bull. After an inconsistent 2023 campaign, despite finishing as the runner-up, Perez seems more comfortable with the RB20 compared to its predecessor, the RB19. He shared his enthusiasm for the upcoming race weekend, highlighting the solid week of testing and the car’s positive performance and reliability. Perez acknowledged the unpredictability of the first weekend, with new concepts and strong-looking teams on the grid. He emphasized that Red Bull has taken a new direction with the RB20 and expressed his eagerness to compete and assess their competitiveness. Rather than looking too far ahead, Perez intends to focus on each race individually, anticipating a closely contested battle between teams in 2024.
While Red Bull has demonstrated their status as the team to beat this season, there are external factors that could potentially hinder their F1 Title defense. One such factor is the ongoing investigation into allegations of “inappropriate behavior” by team boss Christian Horner towards a female colleague. If Horner is found guilty and removed from his position, it remains to be seen how Red Bull’s 2024 F1 season will unfold.