Red Bull have already suffered ‘massive setback’ ahead of Singapore Grand Prix

Follow us on Google Discover

Red Bull have surrendered the lead of the Formula 1 constructors’ championship for the first time since Spain 2022. Sergio Perez crashed out of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, while Max Verstappen could only manage fifth.

Oscar Piastri won the race for rivals McLaren and Lando Norris recovered from a Q1 exit to finish fourth. That 37-point haul saw them leapfrog the Bulls and establish an advantage of 20.

With 18 from Charles Leclerc, Ferrari also outscored the reigning champions for a second consecutive weekend. They have closed the gap to 31 ahead of a Singapore weekend where they’re expected to be strong.

Red Bull, on the other hand, will be sweating for Marina Bay. It was the only race they failed to win in 2023, marking it out as a potential bogey circuit.

Verstappen, who otherwise had a 100% podium record, finished fifth, while Perez was eighth. And with Red Bull now the second or even the third-fastest team in F1, a drop-off in performance could be even more consequential.

Remarkably, Singapore is the only venue on the F1 calendar where Verstappen has yet to win. He’s trying to protect a 59-point lead over Norris with seven rounds remaining.

Helmut Marko says Sergio Perez crash will hurt Red Bull at Singapore Grand Prix

Speaking to Sky Germany after Sunday’s race, Red Bull executive director Helmut Marko warned that the team have already suffered a blow ahead of Singapore. It all stems from Perez’s collision with Carlos Sainz.

They’ll be able to repair the car fairly easily, but they’ve had to scrap a planned ‘test period’. Red Bull introduced a revised floor in Baku and Marko’s comments may indicate that they don’t yet have a spare.

That would force Perez to fit an older model for this weekend’s race, impacting the team’s data-gathering. They hope to introduce an upgrade for the United States GP after the lengthy break.

“It’s a massive setback for us,” Marko said. “We’ll certainly be able to get the car ready, but not in the form we planned. The test period we had planned for Singapore is now not possible. It’s a massive setback.”

How McLaren mechanic reacted to Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz crash

Marko has already conceded the constructors’ championship, such is the form of McLaren. That may point to the lack of confidence within the Red Bull camp right now.

Perez’s spiral from Monaco until Silverstone – a run where he scored just 10 points in five races – has been costly. But none of the key figures at the team are blaming him for his clash with Sainz.

The stewards ruled it a racing incident, while Christian Horner is naturally at odds with Fred Vasseur and co. After showing signs of real promise in Azerbaijan before walking away scoreless, Jacques Villeneuve says Perez must keep challenging Verstappen to retain his drive.

That, in turn, should give Red Bull hope of defending their title. One McLaren mechanic celebrated the retirement of Sainz and Perez, quickly realising they stood to benefit.