Ross Brawn calls for Red Bull shake-up as Max Verstappen dominates Formula 1
- Rob Fleming
- 10 November 2023
In the midst of Red Bull's remarkable season, Ross Brawn, former F1 managing director, suggests a strategic driver change to maintain competitiveness as Max Verstappen's dominance continues.
Verstappen's stellar performance has been the highlight of the season, securing an impressive 17 wins out of the 20 races so far, culminating in his third World Championship triumph at the Qatar Grand Prix. Former team principal, Brawn, in a recent Talksport interview, anticipates Red Bull's continued advantage into the next season due to their front-running position, enabling an early start to the design of their new car.
"Even though they have this domination at the moment, you will see it in time," Brawn remarks, acknowledging the growing competition from teams like McLaren, led by drivers Lando Norris and occasionally Oscar Piastri.
However, Brawn contends that Red Bull's current driver pairing might need a shake-up for the upcoming season. Sergio Perez, despite displaying strong pace at the start of the campaign, faced challenges as the season progressed, prompting questions about his future with the team.
Brawn, drawing parallels with Mercedes' past success, suggests Red Bull should consider a strategy similar to the one that saw Nico Rosberg pushing Lewis Hamilton during their dominant years. "What I want to see quite frankly is someone more competitive in the other car because unfortunately Sergio's not putting up much competition for Max," Brawn explains, emphasizing the importance of having a strong contender in both cars even during a dominant phase.
While Red Bull have repeatedly affirmed Perez's place in the team for the upcoming season, Brawn hints at the value of a competitive dynamic within the driver line-up, citing the Rosberg-Hamilton rivalry as a prime example.
As the Formula 1 season unfolds, the spotlight shifts to the upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix scheduled for November 16-18. The new 14-turn street circuit promises high speeds, reaching up to 342 kilometres per hour on the long straight across the strip, rivalling the iconic Monza in terms of average speeds.
The anticipation builds for yet another thrilling race weekend as teams gear up for the challenges posed by the dynamic Las Vegas circuit.
