F1: Christian Horner Acknowledges Red Bull RB20's Weaknesses as McLaren Increases Championship Pressure

At the Italian Grand Prix, Verstappen finished sixth, 40 seconds behind Charles Leclerc. His lead over Lando Norris dropped to 62 points, and Red Bull’s constructors’ championship lead over McLaren shrank to eight points.

Christian Horner of Red Bull Racing has admitted that the team needs to quickly fix their performance issues after an underwhelming display of performance at the Italian Grand Prix. After a strong start to the 2024 season, with Max Verstappen winning seven of the first ten races, Red Bull's momentum has dropped in recent months. Even though Verstappen leads the Drivers' Championship, his early-season advantage has shrunk as McLaren has become more competitive. With the championship race heating up, Red Bull must work hard to restore their form and defend their title successfully.

Speaking after the Italian Grand Prix, Horner said, 'With the pace that we had today, both championships absolutely will be under pressure, for sure.

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'I think this circuit has exposed deficiencies that we have in the car versus last year, and I think that we have a very clear issue, which has been highlighted this weekend, and we know we have to get on top of it and address it, otherwise, we put ourselves under massive pressure.'

F1: McLaren vs Red Bull

F1 McLaren and Red Bull

Verstappen must be breathing a sigh of relief after the Italian Grand Prix, for Lando Norris only managed to reduce his points lead to 62. Although Verstappen hasn’t been as dominant recently, his steady points-scoring keeps him comfortably ahead.

Norris may have little chance in the drivers' championship, but McLaren still has a strong shot at the constructors' title. The team’s recent rise, thanks to a competitive car and strong performances from Norris and Oscar, has significantly reduced the gap to Red Bull.

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As the second half of the season starts, McLaren drivers will need to maintain their momentum and keep challenging their Red Bull opponents for wins. The fight for the F1 championship will be exciting, with Red Bull and McLaren battling for supremacy, depending on the consistency and performance of both teams.