Helmut Marko has suggested that Red Bull are already making progress with arresting their 2024 F1 car’s decline.
Max Verstappen hasn’t won a grand prix at six attempts and left Monza last weekend describing his RB20 as “a monster”.
Red Bull are now looking over their shoulder at McLaren and Lando Norris in the constructors’ and drivers’ championships.
“Despite our non-performance, Max is still 62 points ahead,” Marko told OE24.
“But this lead can quickly shrink if we continue like this.”
He admitted the need to help Verstappen or risk losing the drivers’ title: “If we don’t give him a drivable car and deliver a performance like that a few more times, then anything is possible.”
Marko explained how Red Bull are reacting to a drab Italian Grand Prix.
“We have a tyre test with Liam Lawson in Monza and at the same time our people will analyse where we should readjust,” he said.
“We have to find the point where we took a wrong turn in development.
“We already have a few conclusive findings, now we have to implement the appropriate technical changes quickly so that the car has the right balance again.”
Verstappen leads Norris by 62 points but Red Bull’s lead over McLaren is a mere eight points.
At next weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Norris and McLaren will set out to land an even more telling blow on Red Bull.
Striving to deliver balance to the RB20 is an even more daunting task because of the upcoming grands prix, Marko said.
“The next two races on the street circuits in Baku and Singapore are of little significance in this regard,” he said.
“Austin will show whether we can achieve the turnaround.”
Marko made it clear that Red Bull would prioritise Verstappen’s drivers’ title above the constructors’.
He also defended Sergio Perez’s role in Red Bull’s shrinking lead in the constructors’.
“Checo is not bad, he is simply slower. But of course, the priority is for Max to win the drivers’ world championship,” Marko said.