Last Updated on December 28 2024, 11:18 am

Max Verstappen is one of an exclusive club of four Formula One drivers having claimed his fourth consecutive world title this season. Only Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel have achieved this feat which in fact reveals something about F1 over the past 25 years.

Extended periods of domination really first began in 1999, when after seventeen years in the wilderness Ferrari claimed the first of six consecutive constructors’ titles, with Schumacher starting a run of five in the drivers’ championship the following season.

Red Bull were to have their own years of domination winning both F1 championships between 2010-2013 with Sebastian Vettel. This was followed immediately by Mercedes who racked up an incredible eight consecutive team titles, with Lewis Hamilton claiming six drivers championships and Nico Rosberg the one in 2016.

 

 

 

Almost another F1 record

Whilst Max Verstappen has won the last four drivers titles, Red Bull have just two of the four team championships in the same period. Some paddock observers would suggests this proves that the various FIA regulations to level the playing field may be kicking in.

A glance at the drivers’ championship table for 2024 might to the casual observer reveal another easy title win for the Dutch driver as he finished some 63 points ahead of second placed Lando Norris. Yet a closer look at the season would suggest matters were far from comfortable for Max this year.

Verstappen completed a winless streak of ten Grand Prix from his victory in Barcelona to the drive of the century from seventeenth to the top step of the podium in a rain soaked Sao Paulo. The last time the Dutchman suffered such a drought was back in 2020 before he became the world champion and coming into the Brazil weekend Max revealed post season he was more nervous than he could ever remember.

Red Bull and Max started the year well with seven wins from the first ten Grand Prix and Verstappen narrowly missed out on equaling his record of ten consecutive wins when his RB20 suffered brake failure in Australia, forcing Max to retire. Yet somewhere along the way, the Milton Keynes squad took a wrong turn in their in season car development, something Max battled with across the European season.

Marko: Lawson “no chance” against Verstappen

 

 

 

Red Bull slump in Europe

The slump in Red Bull’s form hit rock bottom in Monza where Verstappen had his equal worst finish of the year down in P6 some 38 seconds off the pace of race winner Charles Leclerc. Yet it was in Italy where the team’s breakthrough came as Verstappen was studying various data from his time on track.

“All plans for new parts, which were to come after that, were thrown in the garbage can, the team actually started from scratch after that,” reveals Max to Racing365. “Before that, they couldn’t find the exact problem. I saw a couple of graphs come up at one point when we were looking at the data. I saw certain aerodynamic shifts how we went into the corners, steering and also in terms of driving heights.

“It was different from the car the year before. I said: ‘Hey, it’s very clear that this is the problem, isn’t it?’ which was true. I hadn’t seen those lines and graphs before.

“I then said that it was quite clear what we needed to work on, because the engineers obviously know exactly what had been changed from last year’s car.”

F1 boss criticises FIA “downside” in thrilling 2024 season

 

 

 

Early signs of Red Bull trouble

Red Bull came into the 2024 season insisting their car was an evolution of the all conquering RB19 yet Verstappen now reveals he knew back then the car was not on a par with its predecessor.

“At the beginning of last season, we still won our races convincingly, but I felt even then that the balance of the car didn’t feel the way I wanted it to. We still had a big lead over other teams, who perhaps hadn’t had a very good winter,” reflects the F1world champion.

Yet there were early signs this season would be very different for Red Bull Racing and Max as early as round six in Miami. Whilst Lando Norris won his maiden Grand Prix in the shadow of the iconic Dolphins stadium, he had benefitted from fortunately timed safety car which saw him take the lead of the race during his fortuitous pit stop.

However, prior to this it was clear the McLaren was the quicker car that day as it was to prove next time out in Emilia-Romagne. There only a wonder lap from Max saved him pole position wafter he was harried all race long by Lando Norris who finished within 0.75 seconds of Max at the chequered flag.

Briatore claims Alpine mid-season driver switch possible

 

 

 

Cheating accusations surface

It was around this tome in the season, where accusations of cheating first surfaced. McLaren’s flexi wings came under scrutiny with the FIA finally deciding to fit motion sensors to the cars in an attempt to spot any excessive deflection when the wings were loaded.

Red Bull’s Pierre Wache is adamant McLaren were operating outside the accepted ‘gray area’ where the rues are less cut and dry. “These cars are difficult to develop. There are always gray areas, but that also attracts you as an engineer. But if you look at McLaren’s rear wing, sorry, but that’s more than operating in a gray area. They also used that wing several races, huh. Without that back wing earlier this season, for example, they won’t win in Baku either and if you list that, the constructors’ championship would now also look very different.”

Verstappen too believes there were nefarious activities taking place this year amongst Red Bull ’s competitors. “Things happened in the background, so we had no chance at all in certain races,” he tells de Telegraaf. “I know that for sure, but no one will ever admit that.”

Hamilton “very worried” about Ferrari says ex-team mate

 

 

 

Late season claims of water inside tyres

Whilst never truly erupting into a full blown row over cheating, 2024 was a niggly year in terms of the teams accusing each other and the FIA appearing to manage the situation with kid gloves. Red Bull were accused of having a flexi front wing along with an illegal ride height adjuster relating to the front floor bib.

Finally, late in the season claims of teams using water inside their tyres to preserve their life surfaced over the final few race weekends which of course is illegal. Pirelli had already investigated whether this process was one they could deploy but came to the conclusion there evidence was inconclusive.

The FIA did insist on fitting a seal to the RB20’s bib adjusting mechanism to ensure parc ferme compliance. This created grumblings from the likes of Zak Brown and Toto Wolff, yet Verstappen merely described their reactions as “bizarre.”

Vasseur hits back at Verstappen

 

 

 

Red Bull conditions in Lawson contract revealed

Despite remaining two constructors’ championships behind arch rivals Mercedes, Red Bull Racing appeared to throw away their chance of another Formula One team title this season as they dallied over what to do with Sergio Perez. The Mexican was widely expected in the paddock to be dismissed during the summer break given the reported clause in his contract which required him to remain within 100 points of his team mate.

Red Bull at the time led rivals McLaren by 42 points and Verstappen’s lead in the drivers’ title race stood at 78 points. With a significantly altered autumn schedule the teams returned from their August sojourn with just four Grand Prix weekends ahead of them before a newly instigated four week autumn break to allow the racing personnel some respite before the season ending double triple headers in the run to the final in Abu Dhabi.

Perez was retained according to Christian Horner because,  “We know that there’s tracks that he’s won at coming up. We’ve got Azerbaijan where he’s won both a Sprint and grand prix on the same weekend. He’s won a fantastic race in Singapore against Charles Leclerc in mixed conditions,” the Red Bull boss told Sky following FP2 in Zandvoort…. READ MORE