In the year 2021, Max Verstappen became the new world champion. Ever since that moment, we haven’t stopped talking about his domination and that of his team Red Bull. Similar to last year, the Milton Keynes team has put on an overpowering performance this year as well. The team has started the season with three straight victories. And after realizing that the team’s $7,000,000 handicap is about to collapse, all of this has become a little more impressive.
The Milton Keynes side has massively benefited from the changes to the rules that were made at the start of 2022. This occurred despite the Austrian team receiving a $7 million fine and a 10% reduction in wind tunnel time from the FIA after being found guilty of exceeding the budget limit. Many teams voiced their displeasure that Red Bull was penalized so late.
The team that was convicted in 2021 didn’t get punishment until the conclusion of the previous year. As a result of the delay, they produced a significant portion of their current dominant RB19. Given that the team has performed less wind tunnel work this year, it is anticipated that the Red Bull penalty will start to hurt them until the end of this year and the beginning of the next.
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Eddie Jordon, a former team owner who recently generated some media attention with a few of his statements, now asserts that the title battle appears to be over following Max Verstappen’s strong surge. Luxury Afloat in London quoted Jordon as saying “If you put a rule on someone today, they will get around it. You are in front of a person a set of rules to be overcome. I don’t understand the budget cap because I think it’s almost impossible to control. I don’t know if Red Bull was treated unfairly, but the penalty didn’t have the desired effect because look at where they are now.”
He added, “I think figuring out how to compete with Red Bull is a huge challenge. I’d like to say it’s too early, but I think it’s already over.” Jordan said, “I don’t see a rival to Red Bull’s power, knowledge, speed and capacity, especially its drivers. This challenge is daunting.”
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After Verstappen’s incredible performance the previous year, Red Bull gained considerable ground. The team has received compliments on its growth ever since the start of this year. Although it seems impossible to cut down Red Bull’s lead, it seems Mercedes has got a plan.
In an effort to cut down Max Verstappen’s lead, Lewis Hamilton and company plan a flurry of car modifications
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The Silver Arrows had high hopes for this season after a disappointing showing in the previous one, but their expectations were dashed as they finished far behind Red Bull in the opening two races. However, their car received a slight boost at the Australian Grand Prix thanks to their consistent labor. Wolff now claims that the team intends to use the upcoming rounds to release new components.
The Mercedes boss stated in a Q&A on the Mercedes website, “We will consistently be bringing upgrades to the car over the next few races, which is something to look forward to.” However, the Austrian also wanted fans to have patience, as there are no ‘magic bullets’ to transform the car overnight. Adding further, he said, “But there is no such thing as a magic bullet that transforms the car, and it’s about being realistic with your expectations. Hopefully we will see a steady improvement.”
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Considering that the current campaign is only in its fourth round, there are a number of potential outcomes. Having said that, do you believe the powerful Red Bull is far beyond the grasp or can they still be defeated?