Even though the 2023 F1 season is full of unexpected things, to say the least, we’re potentially looking at a repeat of the early 2010s. Red Bull is on once again, and it looks like no one is even remotely close. Although the first WDC was won under controversial circumstances, a three-peat is imminent.
Sure, RB Racing fans are ecstatic at the thought of Seb part 2, but everyone knows dominance is bad for F1 as a whole. So, can anyone stop Red Bull before the 2026 regulatory change? Various experts have various answers to this question, so Motoverso will take an objective look at the situation.
It’s no wonder Red Bull is the outright favourite at new sports sites at Bookmakers.bet. But can anyone realistically usurp their throne before 2026?
One More Season Started With Red Bull Being The Ultimate Favourite
In 2021, Red Bull Racing wanted to make a difference and dethrone Mercedes. With the new regulations creeping closer, everyone knew it was possible, but no one took Horner & Co. seriously. And even though Mercedes was as dominant as ever, Red Bulled prevailed thanks to superior strategies, Max’s brilliance and perhaps a hand from Michael Masi.
Despite all the controversy surrounding the WDC win in 2021, everyone was still glad to see Merc fall. That’s the name of the game, but no one thought RB would nail the regulations this well. Ferrari had some hopes earlier in the year, but they shot themselves in the foot repeatedly. Still, even after the WCC and WDC won in 2022, people didn’t view Red Bull as F1’s new ‘evil empire.’
And yet again, in 2023, they were viewed as the favourites to win. Nevertheless, people still thought it would be a fun season full of unexpected things, with Aston Martin, Mercedes and Ferrari all claiming to be mounting a significant title challenge. However, we’re in mid-May of 2023, and RedBull is leading its closes competitor, Aston Martin, by a whopping 100 points, and it’s only been four races.
As always, we can pin that success down to a number of factors. Max is, as always, firing on all cylinders, but his improvements in the chemistry department with Checo have also been notable. Adrian Newey is creative as ever, while the rest of upper management and key technical staff are on top of their game. And that’s been true for years — Red Bull Racing’s greatest pride were always technical and organizational stability. However, every F1 season is full of unexpected things. So, how could the chase end?
The “Catch Me If You Can” Game Leaves The Rest Teams Chasing The Bulls
It would be an understatement to say that Red Bull is the only factor in their success. Even Ferrari’s & Schumi’s reign of terror was more of a perfect storm. This time, it’s more of the same. While we can praise Red Bull’s structure, it’s no denying that other teams dropped the ball or plainly didn’t do enough.
Ferrari once again reminded us why they’re called Scuderia Next Season, with a heap of reliability issues from the get-go. Charles Leclerc retired from the opening race in Bahrain and is already on his second ECU of the season. However, the Tifosi might see this as a blessing in disguise, especially because the lack of success is a clear call for team restructuring. Fred Vasseur might be an experienced team principal, but not even he can handle decades’ worth of Italian bureaucracy and traditionalism.
Mercedes even admitted they took a step backwards. Even though the team almost completely eradicated its porpoising and bouncing issues, the speed isn’t there. They’re the fourth-fastest car and haven’t even chipped at Red Bull’s lead compared to last year. Toto Wolff even stated that the team would scrap the whole chassis in a heartbeat if possible.
As two of RB’s main competitors are faltering, a new one has emerged. Aston Martin is finally taking things seriously, as evidenced by their poaching of Dan Fallows, Eric Blandin, and Fernando Alonso. They have the second fastest car on the grid, with their factory opening its doors soon.
Fluctuations, talent poaching and disappointments aren’t new, that’s for sure. But will this affect F1’s status as the most dominant motorsport? Can Red Bull’s dominance do damage?
How Does Red Bull’s Dominance Impact F1 Attractiveness?
In short, no. While the number one spot is pretty much set in stone, everything else is up for grabs. As reported by Metro, Guenther Steiner even expressed his pleasure at the fact that Haas has a shot at 4th or 5th place. And we’d say that’s a perfect answer to fear-mongering about ‘F1 losing its appeal.’
Everyone’s focused on Ferrari, Red Bull and Merc, but the reality is — there are ten teams on the grid. And if one slips up or doesn’t meet its expectations, you know the other nine around are going to pounce on the opportunity. So just because Merc can’t dethrone Red Bull, that doesn’t mean we’re not in for a late-season surge by Alpha Tauri, Williams or even McLaren.
But the truth is — several years of one team dominating isn’t new. In fact, it’s practically a tradition in today’s F1. Everyone remembers Schumi and Hamilton dominating with fondness. Sure, things get a bit boring after 2-3 seasons, but then that dominance turns into something else. Remember how everyone cheered for Alonso defeating The Michael or Max getting his first? Sure you do because every team’s strong period is followed by even more excitement.
So, don’t worry because both Red Bull and F1 as a whole are here to stay. If F1 survived no spending caps, prequalifying farces, fake sponsors, Crashgate, and a bunch of other things, RB Racing wouldn’t put a dent in it. And besides, with Liberty Media putting an emphasis on advertising, the sport will only be more popular as time passes.
