‘Something in the works’ for Red Bull with both F1 2024 titles now at risk

Helmut Marko has revealed that Red Bull has “something in the works” to respond to the growing threat posed by McLaren, admitting Max Verstappen’s title is at risk in F1 2024.

After a dominant start to the F1 2024 season, Red Bull has struggled over recent months with Verstappen limited to just three victories in the last 10 races.

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Despite taking the lead at the start of Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, Verstappen was unable to stop Lando Norris taking his second victory of the campaign by a massive 22.8 seconds – the biggest margin of victory so far in F1 2024.

Verstappen’s lead over Norris has been reduced to 70 points ahead of the final nine races, with McLaren now just 30 behind Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship.

Marko fears the urgency for Red Bull to respond to McLaren’s pace is growing, admitting the team “need to find something” to retake the initiative in the title race.

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And he has teased that Red Bull has plans in place to improve the RB20 car as the World Championship run in intensifies.

“Norris now has the speed needed to catch Max in the championship,” Marko is quoted as saying by the Dutch F1 reporter Joost Nederpelt.

“We need to find something. There’s something in the works, but McLaren is very fast.”

Marko’s comments come after Verstappen’s father Jos urged Red Bull to “take a good look in the mirror” after losing their way with the development of the RB20, with his son in for a “really tough” end to the year as he looks to seal a fourth consecutive World Championship.

Verstappen Sr told Dutch publication De Telegraaf following the Dutch GP: “Maybe I shouldn’t say it, but I’m doing it anyway: the fact that you have to go back to the car from the beginning of this year says enough.

“They just don’t have it right here at the moment. I think they should take a good look in the mirror.

“Max knew this was coming. He just didn’t have a chance. This way it’s going to be really tough the rest of the year.

“Max is doing everything he can, but doesn’t have the material to finish it. It was already exceptional that he qualified second.”

Speaking to media including PlanetF1.com after the race, meanwhile, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner claimed it will be “very difficult” for Verstappen to retain his title if Norris and McLaren can replicate their Dutch Grand Prix performance across the final nine races.

He said: “Based on today’s performance, if it’s like that at the next nine races, yes, it would be very, very difficult.

“It’s the fourth time this year, only the fourth time that Max’s points lead is reduced. It’s only Lando’s second win, but we know we have to find performance.

“So we were 78 points [in front], now we’re 70 ahead. We want to make sure that we extend the lead, not see it continually diminish.”

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