Red Bull have enjoyed success like no other team ever could this year, with a staggering 21 out of 22 wins in the 2023 season. It may seem like the top team has got its path clear ahead for 2024 with no obstacles to hinder them, but it might not be the case.
Formula 1 is set on inducing equality and fairness for every team in the sport and even a record-breaking constructor like Red Bull can’t escape the rules of the sport. Red Bull has been hit by one such regulation that may make things difficult for its upcoming season.
Red Bull needs to pay a record entry fee for next season
The saying ‘suffering from success’ seems to have been coined for Red Bull this year, after dominating their way through the championship and crushing the entire competition, the Bulls are now facing the repercussions of their victories.
The Concorde agreement of 2013 has made a huge bill for the Austrian outfit, which the constructor company will have to pay if they want to race next year.
The total entry fee Red Bull needs to invest if it wants to be a contender in 2024 (which is an obvious fact) is roughly $6 million. The exotic entry fees can be attributed to Concorde agreement between the constructors, that states every team needs to pay a base fee of $500,000 and additional $5,000 per point scored. Also, the winning team will have to make additional payment of $6,000.
Red Bull have a put forth a humongous score of 860 points on their way to win the constructor’s championship, but it all came back to them in form of the excess entry fee which they will have to pay next year.
Max Verstappen shatters records with 19 victories in 2023
Max Verstappen was in his own zone this season when he broke the record of most consecutive in season previously held by Sebastian Vettel, but none would have expected the season to end this way. Verstappen took his Red Bull to the limits when he decided to win all but one race remaining in the season.
Verstappen’s dangerous form made Lewis Hamilton predict 18-19 wins for him by the end of the 2023 season and Max decided to make it a reality by winning the Abu Dhabi GP. Every weekend was the regular old script of Verstappen leading the pack and securing the victory, while rest of the cars tried in vain to fight against him.
Max Verstappen is worried that his domination may end next year but the fact he rewrote the entire history of Formula 1 and created his own legend cannot be undermined. The roar of the lion from the top step of Abu Dhabi GP was a warning signal, of what may become a permanent phenomenon in F1 if left unchecked.
Which driver except the Red Bull ace impressed you most this season and who do you think is the most underrated driver on grid currently?
