Max Verstappen will still be your 2024 world champion, but it won’t be as easy for him as seasons past. He currently holds an 80-point lead over Lando Norris in second, so why do I believe Red Bull’s complete dominance is over?

I believe this because other teams have figured out how to make the best car with the current regulations. The last six races have a margin of victory of 7.6, 0.7, 7.2, 3.9, 2.2, and 1.9. To clarify these margins of victory are in seconds. Red Bull has only won three of the last six, a far cry from its 21 wins in 2023. Gone are the days of thirty-second victories and one team dominating the season, at least until regulation changes in 2026 occur. 

This is a great thing for Formula 1, it makes the races exciting. A fan has to watch the race the see what will happen versus already knowing the outcome when the five red lights go out. Red Bull, Ferrari, and McLaren are within 100 points of each other in the Constructor’s Championship. Mercedes is also making rapid progress.

Every race, every move, and every mistake matters, something we haven’t seen in Formula 1 in quite some time. The margin for error is the lowest it’s been since I started watching in 2015. Sergio Perez’s slump, Ferrari’s strategy blunder, or a slow Red Bull pit stop could be the difference between first and second in the race for a Constructor’s Championship. 

In Austria, we saw what one mistake can lead to. With racing closer than it’s ever been, the rest of the season is a must-watch. Fans should be more excited than ever watching Red Bull’s minor decline.

Header Image: F1 Social Media