Christian Horner reveals the ‘first mistake’ behind Red Bull’s downfall in 2024
Team principal Christian Horner revealed that the first mistake in their downfall began at the Spanish GP in 2023.
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Christian Horner (via IMAGO)
McLaren has overtaken Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship and is now leading by 20 points. The recent Azerbaijan GP was disastrous for Red Bull, as Max Verstappen failed to finish ahead of the papaya drivers, losing out on crucial points. To make matters worse, Sergio Perez, who was having one of his best weekends in a while, was involved in a crash with Carlos Sainz on lap 50.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner recently revealed the beginning of their downfall. He mentioned that the first major mistake in car development was in 2023, with a floor upgrade in Barcelona. The floor is a crucial part of the car’s aerodynamics, and Horner and Co. had hoped this upgrade would improve performance.
However, after reviewing their development process, they realized it actually caused issues that negatively affected the car’s performance. Horner believed this error marked the turning point, which affected his team’s ability to maintain their lead in 2024.
We traced back the development history and it turned out that the first mistake occurred to us with a floor upgrade in Barcelona in 2023.Christian Horner said, as reported by Automotorundsport
Further, Horner explained that Sergio Perez began experiencing car problems during the same event. However, the team ignored it considering it as a minor error. This was because Max Verstappen still went on to win the race. Since the Dutchman was performing well and securing victories, Red Bull didn’t think the car had any significant problems.
That was also the Grand Prix when Checo started to have problems with the car. We just didn't take it so seriously because Max went on to win [the race].Christian Horner added.
Christian Horner feels podium was possible for Sergio Perez in Baku
Horner explained that Perez was aiming for a podium finish in Baku before Sainz caused an incident that took him out of the race. According to the Brit, second place was within reach for Checo. This was because Charles Leclerc, who was ahead of him, was struggling with worn-out rear tires which would’ve impacted his pace for the last lap. However, the unfortunate crash turned everything, preventing the 34-year-old from achieving the podium finish.
He was on course for a podium finish when Sainz shot him down. A second place was possible, because Leclerc's rear tires were completely worn out.Christian Horner stated.
Certainly, Perez’s crash was largely a matter of luck. He had driven exceptionally well, even out-qualifying Verstappen, after a long period of underperformance. The incident has disrupted Red Bull’s plans for the upcoming Singapore GP. Fans will hope that the team can repair the damaged parts and address the issues before this week’s race.
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Gaurang Kadam
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