Verstappen Admits Red Bull 'Not Good Enough' for Title Bid
Max Verstappen candidly assessed Red Bull's 2024 F1 season, stating they 'haven't been good enough' to secure the drivers' championship. Despite a late-season resurgence with upgrades and new leadership, a significant early-season points deficit to Lando Norris has left him 49 points behind, making a fifth title highly improbable. Verstappen acknowledges the team's ongoing efforts to win races, despite the championship outcome.
Max Verstappen has offered a candid assessment of Red Bull's 2024 season, stating that he and the team 'haven't been good enough' to win the drivers' championship. Despite a strong resurgence in the latter half of the season, the Dutchman believes the significant points deficit accumulated earlier in the year has made a fifth title mathematically improbable, if not impossible.
Why it matters:
After a period of unprecedented dominance, Verstappen's comments highlight the fierce competition in the current F1 season. His realistic view, despite still being mathematically in contention, underscores the challenges Red Bull faced and McLaren's impressive form. It also sets the stage for a potentially dramatic conclusion to the championship, even if Verstappen believes his own title hopes are all but over.
The details:
- Verstappen currently sits 49 points behind championship leader Lando Norris, with only three rounds and one sprint weekend remaining in the season.
- A difficult mid-season spell saw Verstappen fall behind McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the standings.
- Mid-season turnaround: Red Bull introduced a significant floor upgrade at the Italian Grand Prix, which, combined with new operational approaches under team boss Laurent Mekies, sparked a performance revival.
- Since the upgrade, Verstappen has secured three victories and four podium finishes in the last seven rounds.
- This strong run allowed him to close within 25 points of Piastri, but consecutive wins for Norris in the MCL39 have further complicated Verstappen's path to the title.
- Realistic outlook: Speaking after his impressive drive from the pit lane to the podium in São Paulo, Verstappen admitted it was a 'surprise' to even be back in contention at this stage.
- "We already lost way too many points, of course, in the beginning of the season till the middle of the season," Verstappen told Sky Sports F1.
- He further elaborated: "I think over the whole season, we haven't been good enough."
What's next:
While Verstappen has all but ruled himself out of the championship fight, he emphasized that the team will continue to push for race wins and strong performances in the remaining races.
- "We will still try everything we can till the end of the season to score some highlights and try to win races," he added. "That's what we are here for."
- The focus for Red Bull will likely shift to solidifying their constructor's position and continuing to develop for the 2025 season, learning from the challenges faced in 2024.