After enjoying one of the most dominant seasons in Formula 1 history in 2023, Red Bull looked set to continue the same path this year. However, a few days before the Canadian Grand Prix, the Austrian team is no longer untouchable.
Red Bull won 20 of 21 races last year, 18 of which were won by Dutchman Max Verstappen, the three-time reigning world champion. Only the Spaniard Carlos Sainz Jr., aboard his Ferrari, managed to put a red spot on the report card of the Milton Keynes team.
This year, three of the first eight events have escaped Red Bull. Two went to Sainz and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, then the other to Lando Norris of McLaren.
A situation that delights Quebec driver Bertrand Godin in view of the Montreal stopover of the great F1 circus.
“If the race for the championship is not relaunched, the next races still look very interesting,” he enthused during an interview with The Canadian Press.
“Whether it’s Norris’ victory in Florida or Leclerc’s victory in Monaco, it comes at just the right time for Montreal. On a sporting level, I think we’re going to be in for a fight even if we come to a circuit that’s a little more favorable to Red Bull. »
In Godin’s eyes, the victories of Leclerc and Norris helped lift a weight off their shoulders. The Monegasque scored his first victory in front of family and friends, while the Briton won a very first career Grand Prix in Miami.
While Ferrari and McLaren enter the fight for the top step of the podium, the situation seems complicated internally at Red Bull.
Technical director Adrian Newey, considered by many to be one of the greatest engineers in F1 history, will leave at the end of the season. The cars he designed with Williams, McLaren and Red Bull have won 12 constructors’ titles, including the last three.
Even before the start of the season, team principal Christian Horner was the target of an investigation by the parent company following a complaint of misconduct before being cleared.
“A lot of things have happened at Red Bull. There is the human factor to manage in that,” Godin wisely argued, while more than 800 people were employed by Red Bull in 2023.
All these factors combined should spice up the different sessions on the track at the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit, starting with the first free practice session, scheduled for Friday at 1:30 p.m.
Aston Martin in decline
Last year at this time, Aston Martin was the team closest to Red Bull in terms of performance. The Spaniard Fernando Alonso, double world champion, finished in second place on Notre-Dame Island. It was his sixth podium in eight races.
Since then, the English team has been unable to keep up with the development of its main rivals, with the result that instead of regularly climbing onto the podium, Alonso has been excluded from the top-10 in the last two events.
“As long as we’re in a series where everyone is evolving quickly, some will make giant leaps forward and others will stagnate. I have the impression that we have plateaued on the Aston Martin side, commented Godin.
“Naturally, Alonso is less sparkling than last year, but it always depends on the material. »
On the other side of the garage, Quebecer Lance Stroll is once again struggling to keep up with Alonso’s pace in the race. The veteran has 33 points, compared to 11 for Stroll. But the situation changed in qualifying.
Dominated 19-3 in 2023, Stroll can so far boast of being on par with his illustrious teammate this year. Both men qualified ahead of each other five times each, taking into account qualifying for sprint races.
“For the last few races, he has been fast,” said Godin about Stroll, whose father, Lawrence, owns the team. There were occasions where he was a little faster than Fernando. I think he has worked on aspects of his driving. »
Stroll usually has good races in Montreal, having collected points every time he has seen the finish line. In five appearances since his debut in 2017, he has finished ninth three times, added a 10th place and was forced to retire on the first lap due to a collision with Brendon Hartley in 2018.