Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has revealed that he had grown less confident in Max Verstappen’s 2024 title hopes by the time the Italian Grand Prix at Monza rolled around.
The 2024 season began with Red Bull dominating the field, with Verstappen seemingly untouchable. However, a downturn in form after the Miami Grand Prix, where Lando Norris sealed his first career win in F1, triggered the alarm bells at Milton Keynes.
While Verstappen managed to win three of the following four races, the team hit a slump after Barcelona that resulted in a staggering 10-race winless streak.
During this period, McLaren established itself as the championship leader, while Red Bull struggled to claw back its lost ground.
“When asked if he agreed with Verstappen’s assessment that, for 70 percent of the year, Red Bull didn’t have the quickest car, Horner replied: “I would say it’s about right. Since Miami, I would say that was a turning point.
“The car was very difficult to drive, but he was able to adapt and get the most out of it. I think we’ve improved it in latter races, but certainly around Monza time, it looked like the championship was slipping away.
“There was still a long way of the championship to go, and we had a significant disadvantage to McLaren, Ferrari and even the Mercedes at that point.’”
Monza was indeed a particular nadir for Red Bull, with Verstappen finishing sixth, 38 seconds adrift of winner Charles Leclerc.
The venet underscored the severity of the RB20’s handling issues, but it also marked the beginning of a turnaround. Red Bull engineers focused their efforts on resolving balance problems, gradually closing the gap to their rivals.
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“The engineers have worked tirelessly, and the men and women behind the scenes have worked long hours, early mornings, weekends to keep getting performance to the car,” Horner noted, praising the team’s relentless work ethic.
Though Red Bull never fully regained dominance over McLaren, Verstappen’s adaptability and the team’s incremental improvements made a critical difference in the season's final stretch. Horner pinpointed key moments that reignited their championship ambitions.
“For me, a real turning point was Austin, getting a sprint race victory there, getting on the front row for the grand prix, the podium that he scored there,” said the Briton
“And then, of course, Brazil [where Verstappen dominated a wet race from 17th on the grid] was really the crowning moment in many respects, it was such an outstanding drive that provided the match point.”
Ultimately, Verstappen's resilience and Red Bull's determination to overcome their challenges allowed them to secure the championship.
The 2024 season will be remembered as a testament to the team's ability to adapt and fight back when faced with adversity.
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