Red Bull told to 'figure it out' after poor F1 season start

Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer believes Red Bull's vast resources and technical depth will inevitably pull them ahead of midfield rivals Haas and Alpine in the constructors' championship, despite the team's shockingly poor start to the 2024 season. After three rounds, the six-time champions are languishing in sixth place, level on points with Alpine and behind Haas, prompting serious questions about their recovery timeline.

Why it matters:

Red Bull's unexpected slump represents a seismic shift in F1's competitive order, offering a rare opportunity for midfield teams to score big points. However, the extended month-long break caused by cancelled races may have handed the struggling giant the exact development window it needs to reset and unleash its inherent performance potential, threatening to snap the Cinderella stories at Haas and Alpine.

The details:

• Palmer, speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, argued that giving Red Bull a month to analyze data and develop upgrades is dangerous for its rivals, stating, "you don't want to give them a month to pore through data, work on the car, bring new parts."
• He acknowledged Red Bull's well-publicized staff departures but emphasized the team's remaining "huge amount of resource," which he feels "has to come out on top" over Haas and Alpine once operations are running smoothly.
• The discussion highlighted how Haas and Alpine have capitalised on Red Bull's woes, but the core question is whether they can sustain this advantage.
• Palmer noted Alpine's planned major upgrade package for the Miami Grand Prix, part of a longer-term development strategy, but questioned if it would be sufficient to hold off a resurgent Red Bull indefinitely.

What's next:

The pressure is now squarely on Red Bull to use this unscheduled break effectively. Palmer's analysis suggests the team's underlying performance—or "baseline"—is stronger than current results show. The coming European races will be critical; if Red Bull "figure it out" and bring effective updates, the current midfield hierarchy could be quickly overturned. For Haas and Alpine, the goal is to maximize their points haul before the traditional powerhouse finds its footing.