Retired Formula 1 driver and four time world champion Alain Prost has warned that Formula 1 finds itself “in crisis” as the sport risks becoming a one horse race.
Writing in his column for French newspaper L’Equipe, Prost raised fears that the majority of teams on the grid are struggling to find a way to compete against the pace of the Red Bulls.
Red Bull has, so far, secured victory in every race, with Max Verstappen taking the chequered flag in Bahrain and Australia, while Sergio Perez claimed P1 in Saudi Arabia.
A legend of the sport, Alain Prost held the record for most Grand Prix victories until Michael Schumacher surpassed him in 2001.
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Having raced in 199 Grand Prixes, Prost was a member of four teams with illustrious legacies in the sport, driving for McLaren, Renault, Ferrari and Williams.
“It’s a weird start to the season. Wherever you look, you can see that it’s not going well and that, in a way, it’s already a crisis. And a crisis on all levels, whether you are a big or a small,” Prost said.
“There are, of course, the factory or historic teams which are suffering, such as McLaren, which is not only not rebuilding but, year after year, is plunging.
“There is Alpine, whose recovery is still slow in coming. There is Mercedes, which persists in its admittedly innovative concept but which obviously does not work,” he added
“The system of favouring a single driver, Max Verstappen, which has worked so well, is showing its first signs of failure,” Prost said in a warning to the title holders.
“Sergio Perez, now settled in the team, is discovering that he can win and is no longer willing to compromise to stay.
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“Even if Red Bull’s domination continues, the next few weeks will be crucial for the reigning world champions. It’s clear that anything can quickly throw a spanner in the works and that, even at the top, a crisis is never far away,” Prost said, hinting at Red Bull’s reliability concerns.
Red Bull looks untouchable in the Constructors’ Standings with 123 points, a 58 point lead over their nearest rivals Aston Martin.
The Drivers’ Standings is more closely fought, with Verstappen on 69 points and Perez on 54.