Well, it’s not looking good. The car is still a class apart from everyone else this year, so I do anticipate Max Verstappen becoming a four-time world champion. Not just because of the car either. Verstappen is a driver of rare quality, easily on par with any other world champion. Now, some will get all hot and bothered and cry ‘No, Senna/Schumacher/Fangio/Hamilton is better.’ I don’t care what others may say, to win the Formula One World Championship, you have to be a great driver. To win multiple championships, you have to be exceptional. No matter what era you are driving in. I always say there is no point having the Greatest Of All Time debate in Formula One, or indeed any sport. I don’t find it engaging; it too often devolves into tribalism and mud-slinging. Anyway, Max Verstappen is a superb driver getting the most out of an exceptional car. Which is the story of most F1 championships anyway. Funnily enough, the best drivers tend to end up in the best cars.
The behind-the-scenes drama however, might just be the thing that brings this era of Red Bull domination to an end. The whole debacle around Christian Horner has spun way, way out of control. I’m not sure what the best way to manage it would have been to be honest, but it has spilled out into the public domain, and Red Bull’s response has not put many minds at ease. Rumours of a split within the team, with some backing Horner and some arguing that he needs to go for the good of the team. That, according to some even stretches to star man Verstappen and his camp. Mercedes are reportedly working hard to convince the Dutchman to make the move and fill the Lewis Hamilton sized hole that will be opened when Hamilton makes his move to Ferrari. And while Verstappen’s future at Red Bull is uncertain, one key member of the team is already gone.
Adrian Newey is no longer involved with the racing outfit, effectively serving his gardening leave by working on Red Bull’s RB17 hypercar project. And that is an enormous loss to Red Bull. Adrian Newey is basically a Formula One cheat code. If he is working on your cars, there is a very good chance you’re going to be in contention for race wins, if not a crack at the title. Newey was one of the frst designers to come into the sport with a university degree in aerodynamics. He was really the first to design race cars ‘properly’ with actual knowledge in the area. He has won championships at all but one team that he has worked at in Formula One, while also having success in American open wheel series as well. Now, his departure is not so much of surprise as Newey’s discontent has been reportedly brewing for some time, for a multitude of reasons. The issue surrounding Christian Horner seemed to be the final straw though. If Newey does end up joining another team, say Ferrari, Red Bull’s stranglehold on the world championship could evaporate. And if even Lewis Hamilton can be tempted by the lure of the famous red cars from Maranello, then there is a good chance that Adrian Newey will be as well. Of course, Newey is 65 now, and may decide that he has absolutely nothing to prove to anyone (which he doesn’t), and call it a day.
The division that has taken hold of the Red Bull team will not be a good environment to sustain a winning mentality. This year, they should be able to ride it out and take another championship double. The car is just that far ahead of the rest of the pack. The future is far less certain. The rules are also changing in 2026. The battery component of the power unit is increasing and the cars are finally getting smaller and lighter after years and years of increases to the size and weight of the cars. This increase has made them totally unsuitable for tracks like Monaco. And Red Bull will be heading into these new regulations without their design genius. Obviously, Red Bull is one of the biggest and most successful F1 teams of the modern era, so finding someone to replace Newey might not be as difficult as it seems. But I think it will knock them off their perch for a while.
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