As Formula 1 gears up for its return from the summer shutdown, the motorsport world finds itself firmly in the grasp of Red Bull Racing and their star driver, Max Verstappen. With the championship seemingly all but mathematically decided, the rest of the grid is left scrambling to catch up. However, one former F1 team boss is sounding a warning to the competition: Red Bull may not have reached their peak potential yet.
Gian Carlo Minardi, who spent a remarkable 30 years in Formula 1 from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s, has witnessed the rise and fall of dominant teams throughout his career. While he is now a spectator from the sidelines after selling his team to Paul Stoddart in 2001 (which was subsequently purchased by Red Bull in 2005), Minardi maintains a keen interest in the sport and has been closely monitoring the recent success of Red Bull Racing.
Minardi shared his insights, saying, “I think the other F1 drivers can only start counting how many times the taillight of Max Verstappen’s car flashes. I don’t see much change at the front, I actually don’t see any opportunities for the others to beat Verstappen and Red Bull this season. The team is really good, and it will be difficult enough for the other teams to close the gap in the coming years.”
He emphasized the incremental nature of progress in Formula 1, highlighting that breakthroughs and improvements occur step by step. Minardi remarked that achieving success in Formula 1 is a lengthy and demanding process that many people often underestimate. As a result, he believes it’s challenging to predict where teams will stand compared to Red Bull Racing in the future.
Minardi’s insights extend beyond Red Bull Racing to their sister team, which has undergone various name changes, from Toro Rosso to AlphaTauri. Rumors of yet another name change and a potential relocation to the UK have circulated, suggesting a strong desire for improvement within the team.
In the world of Formula 1, where every detail matters, the competition should heed Minardi’s words. Red Bull Racing’s current dominance may not represent their ultimate potential, and the road to challenging them at the front of the grid will likely be long and arduous for their rivals.
