Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner expressed mixed feelings during the United States Grand Prix weekend. On a positive note, he saw Max Verstappen win the Sprint Race and achieve a podium finish ahead of his main championship competitor, Lando Norris. Nonetheless, Red Bull had difficulty keeping up with Ferrari’s speed during the main race. McLaren believed they could have had a driver on the podium instead of Verstappen if not for a contentious penalty handed to Norris late in the event.
Sergio Perez encountered yet another difficult weekend, unable to score points in the Sprint Race and finishing last among the top four teams, except for Lewis Hamilton, after crashing out early during the race. This scenario has intensified scrutiny on Red Bull’s sister team, RB, as questions about Perez’s future linger.
Yuki Tsunoda is rumored to be a contender to take over for Perez. Still, it was Liam Lawson who made a notable impact at the United States Grand Prix, rising from 19th to secure a top-ten finish, replicating his best result from his previous time with the team last season. Lawson finished in 9th place.
Talking to Sky Sports, Christian Horner praised Lawson’s performance, saying, it’s a sample of one, and I thought he jumped in, and he looked like a veteran to be honest with you. I mean, he’s a great racer. I think he can be very happy with that drive today. I thought he drove a great Grand Prix; I mean starting 19th and finishing in the points with some great overtakes.
Jenson Button noted Lawson’s competitive nature, mentioning he upset Fernando Alonso, so you know he’s a feisty character on track, don’t you? To which Horner replied, Yeah, when you’re upsetting Fernando on track, you know that you’re doing something right! So, he’s a tough, hard racer.
Lawson tackled the race without feeling pressure due to his grid position. He achieved one of the quickest laps in Q1 but was primarily there to support Tsunoda, who ultimately failed to secure a spot in the top ten and felt frustrated when Lawson gained an advantage over him during the race. Martin Brundle noted a moment that showcased Lawson’s potential as a future Red Bull driver, adding to the dilemma for Horner.
Although Perez managed to weather a confidence vote during the summer break after facing performance struggles, the termination clauses in his contract still exist. If Lawson continues to impress, Red Bull may need to make decisions about Perez’s future before the winter break. Charles Leclerc triumphed in the 2024 United States Grand Prix.
Asked if he felt the FIA move on rear wings was something that could have influenced the competitive picture, team principal Christian Horner said: Small details do make a difference, particularly when the cars have converged as they have. It’s all about marginal gains. That’s what Formula 1 is all about. So yes, inevitably, there will be a difference from it [the FIA clarification]. How material it is will vary from circuit to circuit, he added.
However, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella, whose team is still at the top of the constructors’ championship, doubts that the changes will have a significant effect—particularly since he believes many teams had to implement adjustments. I would be surprised that there’s only a couple of teams that had to make adaptations to the rear wing, he said.
Our rear wing was adjusted after Baku, following some of the conversations we have had and with the FIA providing some references as to what they would like to see. But this is a minor element in terms of car performance. It does not have to do with any performance switch from event to event, Stella insisted.
