How the Belgian Grand Prix definitely proved Red Bull’s RB20 is no longer the best car

The writing has been on the wall for several weeks, but the Belgian Grand Prix definitively proved something that’s been on every Formula 1 fan’s mind: Red Bull’s RB20 is no longer the best car in the field.

Spa-Francorchamps is a favorite track of Max Verstappen , at least when it comes to scheduling engine changes and taking grid penalties. For the past several years, that hasn’t prevented the Dutch driver from taking a dominant win — but in 2024, things have changed.

Red Bull’s dominance fades with the RB20

In both 2022 and 2023, Max Verstappen secured grid penalties — first for exceeding his quota of power unit elements, then for receiving a new gearbox driveline. The 2022 start was dramatic, as Verstappen had to start from the back of the grid; the 2023 edition saw a five-place penalty.

In 2022, Max Verstappen had moved his way up to eighth place by the end of the first lap despite starting from the back of the grid. By lap 12, he had secured a lead that no one could touch and managed to take home the extra point for fastest lap as well.

The following year, it took Verstappen six laps to move his way up from sixth to third. On lap 18, he passed teammate Sergio Perez for the lead. He went on to win by a whopping 22 seconds.

In both instances, it was clear that Red Bull Racing had built a massively dominant car — one that no one could even consider challenging for the lead. Max Verstappen was going to win, no matter where he started.

In 2024, though, things have changed.

By the numbers: Red Bull’s fall

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Yes, this season began with dominance. Verstappen cruised to victory behind the wheel of his RB20 in seven of the first 14 events. But beginning in Austria, the RB20 began to lose out.

As teams like McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes introduced mid-season upgrades, each of Red Bull’s rivals were able to gather just a bit of extra pace. Somehow, though, Red Bull has been unable to respond with counter-upgrades the way it had done in the past.

In Austria, Verstappen finished fifth, with the victory going to George Russell. In England, Verstappen took second, just behind Lewis Hamilton. In Hungary, a frustrated Verstappen again took a fifth-place finish as Oscar Piastri secured his maiden F1 win.

The signs have been there, leaving fans and media pundits to ask if Verstappen and his RB20 can be still considered the dominant duo — but the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix has definitively proved that’s not longer the case.

Yes, Verstappen qualified on pole. Yes, he was able to carve his way up through several positions after the start despite his 10-place grid penalty.

But the RB20 simply couldn’t race beyond yet another fifth-place finish. Verstappen trailed both Mercedes machines, one McLaren, and one Ferrari.

In the closing laps, as cameras focused on the Mercedes battle for the lead, Verstappen edged within DRS range of fourth-placed Charles Leclerc. Unfortunately for the Dutch driver, he was never able to get close enough to make a move.

Aside from that penalty, nothing worked against Verstappen in the Belgian Grand Prix. His pit stops were comfortably quick, and his strategy theoretically could have worked.

But for Verstappen, there was simply no way to overcome the cars at the front of the field. His RB20 no longer has the pace to simply overcome anything in its path.

The car is still quick, but it’s no longer dominant — and Red Bull will certainly spend its summer shutdown wondering just where its development went wrong.

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