Jos Verstappen: Red Bull era of F1 dominance seems really over

Ex-Formula 1 driver, Jos reflecting on the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix, told De Telegraaf: "The era of Red Bull dominance in F1 seems really over now. Maybe they should focus more on racing and internal team communication again, rather than on other things.

"There will definitely be races where Red Bull will be strong again but I'm very curious to see how they will solve this. Something really needs to happen because the team experienced blatant weaknesses in Monaco.

"They must find out where the problem originates. It is obvious Ferrari and McLaren are getting closer. As always Max has been able to hide this to a certain extent but the big difference with Sergio Perez is becoming more and more evident.

"The RB20 appears to struggle on high-downforce circuits that require tight cornering or are bumpy. This explains their lack of form in Miami and Monaco, and to a lesser extent in Imola," reckoned Verstappen senior.

Verstappen has won five times so far this season, meanwhile that there is "a problem with the RB20's DNA" as Max said, is clear. For whatever reason, Adrian Newey and his design team decided to radicalise the almost unbeatable, incredibly fast, bullet-proof solid package that the RB19 was last year.

While on the early tracks, the RB20 seemed to be cut from the cloth, perhaps better than its predecessor. Seven P1 starts out of eight for Verstappen is clear evidence of the pace in the package.

Even Perez seemed to have a handle on it too, as the three one-twos in the first four races of this season testify. But since then it all seems to be going pear-shaped for the World Champs. At Monaco, the pears started falling off the tree

But Miami gave a hint of what was to come on tracks demanding high downforce, and rapid changes of direction from the Red Bull. Monaco was the RB20's biggest test to date, and it failed that one.

However, this is the longest of F1 seasons. Much can happen in the remaining 16 GPs. There will be several tracks that should suit the RBR, but the ones where it 'bombs' will be telling.

When it's in the sweet spot, and Max strapped in it the RB20 is a great weapon to have in his quest for a fourth F1 crown. But it is already proving tougher to capture than his third of 2023 and by no means certain on recent evidence.

Helmut Marko acknowledged the issues plaguing the RBR: "If we change the ride height on the car, we lose a lot of drive. That's why we are limited in this area. However, we believe that we will still be superior on conventional tracks like Barcelona. If not, then we really have a problem.

"I believe that the Verstappen factor will be decisive even on tracks that are less favourable for us. He is in top form and makes the difference. There is no other driver who can drive at the limit on every lap of the race without making mistakes," ventured 81-year-old Marko, former F1 driver and Le Mans winner.

StatsF1 show that Red Bull has dominated F1 since Max ended Lewis Hamilton's long reign at the end of the 2021 F1 season. Since then they have gone on to win both F1 titles in 2021 and 2022, and seemed to be going the same way until Miami.

With Sergio Perez crashing out on the first lap of the first 'race' and Verstappen finishing from where he started on the grid - P6 - at the Monaco Grand Prix meant eight points for Red Bull. Their worst score since the double DNF in Australia in 2022.

If Red Bull's dominance is really over as Jos suggests, how his son Max fares at this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal will be interesting. As will Barcelona after that, where Marko's prediction will be put to the test.