F1 News: Red Bull's Hungary upgrade 'has to work'

(GMM) Red Bull is pinning its hopes to another upgrade package that is set to debut next weekend in Hungary according to Helmut Marko and Max Verstappen

At Silverstone, Max Verstappen got exclusive use of the team’s new floor, with Sergio Perez to also be equipped with the improvement in Hungary.

But championship leader Verstappen has only won two out of the last five grands prix, telling the Austrian broadcaster ORF after the British GP: “We are simply too slow now, and we cannot become world champions like this.”

He admits the forcibly reduced wind tunnel development time has hurt Red Bull this year.

“But that’s the way the rules are written – they try to slow down the team that’s leading,” Verstappen, still leading the championship by 84 points over McLaren’s Lando Norris, is also quoted as saying by France’s Auto Hebdo.

Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Consultant Dr Helmut Marko walks in the Paddock with Jos Verstappen and Raymond Vermeulen, Manager of Max Verstappen prior to practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on June 28, 2024 in Spielberg, Austria. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool — Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Consultant Dr Helmut Marko (C) walks in the Paddock with Jos Verstappen (R) and Raymond Vermeulen (L), Manager of Max Verstappen prior to practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on June 28, 2024 in Spielberg, Austria. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

Team boss Christian Horner has downplayed Red Bull’s fall from dominance recently, suggesting it was always going to happen in the current regulations’ third season.

“I refuse to believe that because otherwise you become lazy,” Verstappen insists. “I have full confidence in everyone at the factory. I know they are working hard to try to produce developments and gain performance on the car.

“But it is clear that there are a lot of intelligent people in other teams who are doing the same thing,” he added.

According to Red Bull’s F1 consultant Dr Helmut Marko, another update will be added to the 2024 package in Hungary, with Auto Bild claiming it should be worth 1-2 tenths per lap.

“It has to work,” Marko said. “Otherwise it won’t look good.”

Amid the turmoil at Red Bull and the prospect of a further performance decline, rumors continue to linger that Verstappen hasn’t entirely ruled out switching to Mercedes – winner of the past two grands prix – for 2025.

“He had lots of opportunities to look at the car in the race,” grinned Mercedes boss Toto Wolff after Verstappen finished P2 behind Lewis Hamilton at Silverstone.

Marko told Auto Bild: “There are clauses in Max’s contract that make it possible – if certain things happen – for him to leave the team at any time.”