Baffled by Max Verstappen’s ‘Aggressive’ Dominance, Former Dutch Champ Hopes for Mercedes to Turn Tables

Max Verstappen’s 2023 domination will definitely go down in the history books. Max Verstappen took complete advantage of Adrian Newey’s brainchild, to win 19 out of the 22 races. No other driver-team combination even came close to achieving this level of domination, even with fewer races in the previous seasons.

There are a lot of fans, pundits, drivers, and even teams that are watching his performance in awe. With the new regulations set to arrive only in the 2026 season, Max Verstappen’s dominance would likely continue. Would there be an underdog story that can upset Red Bull?

Mercedes to give a fight to Max Verstappen?

Tom Coronel, 1999 Dutch Formula Nippon champion and racing analyst, talked his mind about the Verstappen dominance in 2023. “The aggressiveness with which he races and the way he talks: fast, honest and with a rough edge, just as it should be. Max is not a marketing muppet. There is no gray area. He’s the purest racer there is.”

After calling him the purest driver, Tom Coronel wonders if there’s any chance that any driver or team can rise to the challenge that Max Verstappen presents. He wonders out loud as quoted by Formule 1, “I’m just wondering: when will it end with Mr. Verstappen? I honestly don’t think until he stops racing. Because as long as Max is racing and on the entry list, everyone else is just field filling. I just never dreamed that he would continue to grow like this, still. Indeed, that means that we will have another year like that next year.”

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The Dutch former Formula Nippon champion hopes for a fight from other competitors though, calling Mercedes to raise their game. “Maybe if Mercedes comes up with a weapon of a car that is better than the Red Bull, only then can it be exciting.” Is Mercedes the only potential challenge for Red Bull though? What about Ferrari and McLaren?

Red Bull’s potential challengers in 2024

Unlike what Tom Coronel suggests, Mercedes might not be the only challenger that Red Bull should be on the lookout for. With exponential developments in the second half of the season thanks to McLaren, the Surrey-based outfit might be a real competitor. Especially with the driver pairing of both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri firing on all cylinders, McLaren might fancy their chances if they had a competitive car.

The same goes with Ferrari as well. Especially after 2023 proved that they have improved on the strategy and reliability front as well. All they need is to build a competitive car. Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc both had decent seasons, finishing almost level on points.

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If Red Bull’s second-seat woes continue, then Max Verstappen would have a tough time fending off six competitors all by himself, if the three teams build a competitive car.