The 2024 season of Formula 1 It is the first in the history of the category in which the teams did not modify the driver pairings with respect to the previous calendar. A curious fact, after 75 years, although the calm of the market exploded with the announcement of the transfer to Ferrari of the seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton for the next course. The Briton is one of the three drivers who became world champions and remain active in the Great Circuswhile the remaining two could become garage companions in 2025: Fernando Alonso is the axis of the past, present and future of Red Bull Racingthe team that wanted it in 2008, suffered it in the recent Australian Grand Prix by accidentally causing the performance of the car to decline. Sergio Czech Pérezand it is the name that in the last few hours became related to the Milton Keynes structure to succeed the Mexican, whose contract expires at the end of the season.
More than half of the grid will be free in 2025, because in addition to Alonso and Czech Pérez, Carlos Sainz Jr. (Ferrari), Esteban Ocon (Alpine), Alexander Albon and Logan Sargeant (Williams), Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda (RB), Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou (Sauber) and Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen (Haas ) the links will end. The Asturian was the key with which Aston Martin tried to try a jump and between the promises and the reality there was a gap that the hierarchy of the two-time world champion managed to hide with their handling and experience, although from the middle of last season the performance of the cars declined and the hope of fighting for third position among the Builders vanished. If the start of the 2023 calendar was encouraging, with six successive podiums from Oviedo, the new adventure does not highlight Aston Martin: in three races, Alonso had collected 45 points; At present he accumulates 16.
Red Bull Racing set the course in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, with a double 1-2 led by Verstappen, but the third round found the Milton Keynes team tangled. The classification test relieved with the pole of MadMaxwhile the sanction they applied to Czech Pérez for blocking Hulkenberg (Haas) in Q1 was an indication of the complexities that the RB20 model would have to overcome on the Albert Park urban layout: the blocked brakes on the right rear tire caused the Dutchman to retire after the third lap , while Alonso, without intending to, was the one who caused the drop in the Mexican driver’s performance.. With the hard compound tires, Checo recovered positions after an uncomfortable first stint: he overtook Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), George Russell (Mercedes) and Alonso, although the climb stopped in fifth place, 20 seconds behind Oscar Piastri (McLaren) and 56 seconds behind the winner, Sainz Jr.
The Red Bull Racing advisor, Helmut Marko, commented that it could be a failure in the setup of car No. 11. “At times it was two seconds slower than the Ferraris and that was not due to the handling,” said the Austrian, mostly critical of Pérez. The version of Christian Hornerhead of the team, was not the same: “He picked up a disposable visor from Alonso’s car and that caused a significant loss of around 20% of downforce.. Without operation tire degradation appeared, unusual in our cars in the second stint. This shows how sensitive these cars are.“said the Briton, who according to the German press is the operator to add Alonso in 2025.
It is not the first time that the Asturian’s name has been linked to Milton Keynes. The fierce battle with Hamilton at McLaren in 2007 led to Alonso’s departure to Renault. Red Bull Racing, which was retracing its third year in F.1, with David Couthard and Mark Webber as drivers, was an option. “We were very close,” Horner noted. “I spoke with his manager and the offer was for 2008 and 2009, but he only wanted to sign for one season. The position of Dietrich Mateschitz – businessman who owns the team – remained that it was two seasons or nothing.”, the team leader explained. With the closing of the 2023 calendar, after the Mexican GP, Marko closed the door to the Spanish media versions that brought Alonso closer to Milton Keynes, which were fed again in the last hours with alleged meetings between Flavio Briatore, the driver’s manager, with Horner. Last February, the Italian and former head of the Benetton team. He was photographed with Toto Wolff, boss of Mercedes, and Alonso’s surname was linked to the Silver Arrows, after Hamilton’s departure.
An alignment with Verstappen and Alonso seduces the public, although managing egos and maintaining treatment without preferences could trigger a fierce internal battle. The pride of two champions could dynamit Red Bull Racing’s successful cycle.