History shows that the serial winners in Formula 1 always looked ahead in the hour of their triumphs and doubted that things would continue like this. So the enjoyment of the sweet victory, as soon as the champagne shower dried up, was often displaced by the worry of losing one’s place in the sun. Red Bull seems more relaxed. Because Max Verstappen again confidently drove away from all the so-called hunters with his 16th victory in the 19th Grand Prix of the season on Sunday in Mexico City? Because the world champion is too fast in this form for all his colleagues in the field? Because according to the predictions of friends and foes, the car in his hands will also be the benchmark for 2024?
The paddock will more or less grudgingly answer these questions with yes. Red Bull is very well prepared for the future. But not optimal. That is amazing. In Formula 1, one rule is unbreakable: everything must always be of the best. But both the uncompromising team boss Christian Horner and the tough sports director Helmut Marko do not give up when it comes to the weak point in their world championship ensemble, the filling of the gap between the front edge of the cockpit and the rear wall of the engine compartment, where the driver is known to sit. For the harshest internal critics, Sergio Pérez appears to be sacrosanct in office.
