Red Bull have kicked off 2023 with a near unstoppable performance, as they look set to retain their grip on both the Drivers’ Championship and the Constructors’ title.
After two races, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez are almost neck and neck, with 44 and 43 points respectively, while the team is 49 points clear of their nearest rivals in the Constructors’ Standings
The dominance on display from Red Bull has sparked fears from some of the teams in the paddock that the title holders could race to victory in all 23 races on the calendar.
Despite this success, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has urged teams to focus on improving their own performance, rather than complain about Red Bull’s strength.
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“I think we’ve had those years where we were as strong, but it’s a meritocracy, this sport,” Wolff said.
“Even if it’s not great for the show that the same guys win all the time, it’s because they’ve done a good job and we haven’t. We all hope for a good entertainment factor. But it’s our duty, with all we have, to catch up and fight these guys.”
“Of course, we will try to do everything in our power to fight back, and we will look at areas of weakness that they may have. Entertainment follows sport, and that’s maybe not good from the commercial side, but it is what makes Formula 1 so special.”
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McLaren’s team principal Andrea Stella echoed Wolff’s point, stating that Red Bull’s runaway lead shows its rivals need to do better.
“For me, it’s just the outcome of a team that has an edge in terms of knowledge, and in terms of transforming this knowledge into performance solutions. So well done to Red Bull,” Stella said.
“When you look at the car, you see the sophistication. So, I think they deserve their success. It’s up to us to do a better job and go and challenge them,” he explained.