Have Red Bull taken a step backwards? Toto Wolff weighs in after ‘downgrade’ spat

In recent grand prix events, the Red Bull team has faced challenges that have raised questions about its performance. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff shared his view on the situation, suggesting that the performance gap between the top teams is narrowing.

After a difficult weekend at the Canadian Grand Prix, which followed its worst performance of the season at the Monaco Grand Prix, Red Bull found itself at the center of a controversy. The RB20 car’s performance issues, particularly in relation to track jumps and undulations, have led to speculation that the latest update could hurt the team more than help it.

James Allison, technical director at Mercedes, said it appeared that Red Bull’s update was in fact a “downgrade”. “This [a broken update] makes life difficult because the moment you stop trusting your tools, you have to come back and waste a lot of time. Time is your best friend, wasting it is your worst enemy,” Allison said.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner quickly disputed Allison’s claim, saying: “Even with our descent we managed to beat their improvement. It was a satisfying race to win.”

Asked about Red Bull’s alleged drop in performance in recent races, Toto Wolff told Sky Sports F1: “The last few races have been more difficult for them [Red Bull]. I think everyone made good progress. I don’t know if they [Red Bull] took a step back. The important thing is that [the gap] is closing.”

Wolff also noted that few teams approach Red Bull’s performance level. “There were two or three teams that could have won the race [in Canada], maybe not so much us. But McLaren has made great strides and don’t forget Ferrari, who were the benchmark in Monaco. It shows that there are now four competitive teams.”

Despite the recent challenges, Wolff predicts that Red Bull will remain strong in the upcoming European races, starting with the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. “Maybe Barcelona will be interesting if they are strong there,” Wolff said. “Austria is their territory. McLaren were strong there last year when they had their comeback. It’s never good for us.”

He also emphasized that despite the problems, Max Verstappen and Red Bull cannot be underestimated. “You can’t leave Max and the Red Bulls, they are still the benchmark.”

Wolff’s analysis reflects a scenario of increasingly fierce competition in Formula 1, where teams are constantly trying to improve their performance and challenge Red Bull’s leadership. With the upcoming races promising more intense contention, the 2024 season continues to hold plenty of excitement for motorsport fans.