For Red Bull’s nine rivals in Formula 1, there is a mix of hope and realism that the sport’s dominant team can be beaten this season.
Last year, Red Bull and its champion driver, Max Verstappen, rewrote the record books in defending their constructors’ and drivers’ titles.
Ahead of the new season, which starts with the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday, Verstappen said his achievements would be “very tough to top, but it’s not our goal. It’s about trying to deliver another very competitive car.”
Since the introduction of new aerodynamic regulations in 2022, designed to help one car follow another more closely and aid overtaking, Red Bull has won 38 of 44 Grands Prix. In 2023, Verstappen set the record for most wins in a season, 19 from 22 races.
The belief among many team principals and technical directors is that under the current regulations the limits can be pushed only so far and Red Bull will be caught.
