It’s been a wild ride for Oracle Red Bull Racing over the last five years. Following a break between Red Bull and Renault, the constructor switched over to Honda Engineering back in 2019—which quickly changed the team’s outlook in F1. By 2021, led by Christian Horner and Max Verstappen, Red Bull finally dragged Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes from the top podium.
It’s stayed that way ever since. Over the years, Red Bull has boosted its image, meteorically rising in terms of popularity. This has led to plenty of growth, including a bevy of new sponsors. This year, Red Bull Racing is continuing its partnership with PokerStars, the world’s largest virtual poker platform. In 2023, the iGaming platform hosted dozens of in-person and virtual events for its clientele worldwide.
This year, Red Bull Racing also penned a deal with Castore, a luxury clothing provider that’s also teamed up with McLaren. Castore is providing officially branded retail clothing for the constructor, along with plenty of specialized designs for certain races, including the Las Vegas Grand Prix and the Miami Grand Prix. Both sponsors are indicators that Red Bull is looking to expand its global reach and cater to its existing fans.
Looking ahead to the 2024 Formula Racing series, what more does Red Bull have in store? Let’s take a look at five predictions for the constructor and its drivers.
Verstappen Wins Again
From pundits to analysts to fans, there’s a clear favorite for next year’s Driver’s Championship—and all signs point to another dominative win by Dutch driver, Max Verstappen. Last year, he nabbed an astounding 19 out of 22 podiums before going on to win his third consecutive championship title. Considering Lewis Hamilton only managed to step onto six podiums, that’s a new level of winning for Max.
Looking ahead, Verstappen’s only solid competition will come from fellow Red Bull driver Sergio ‘Checo’ Perez and McLaren’s hungry Lando Norris. Speaking of which…
Lando vs. Checo
While Verstappen is the wholesale favorite heading into the 2024 season (and Red Bull is a likely shoe-in for the constructors’ championship), things aren’t quite so sunny for Checo. In fact, rumors swirled about whether the Mexican driver would be listed on this year’s drivers’ list for Red Bull at all.
Though Checo has managed to hold on for the time being, debates are raging about who might take him on heading into the 2025 season. And all eyes are on Norris. In fact, some analysts have Norris favored for their 2024 Driver of the Year award. The question remains—if Norris puts out a stellar performance early in the year, is it possible Horner will make a quick move to replace Checo before the year ends?
Daniel vs. Checo
Unfortunately for Checo, Norris isn’t his only competition. Though he’s notoriously bounced around throughout his career and put on checkered performances, some believe that Daniel Ricciardo could make a comeback for Red Bull. After putting in a solid performance with AlphaTauri, many have been waiting for a comeback.
Unfortunately for fans of Ricciardo, the Australian driver isn’t heavily favored to replace Checo should he slip up. In fact, according to Horner, Perez has a place on Red Bull’s roster until his contract lapses in 2025. And even then, it might not be Ricciardo who manages to find his way (back) to Red Bull.
McLaren Pushes Back
It seems that Red Bull is on track to nab its fourth consecutive Driver’s and Constructors’ Championships. Still, some think that it will be McLaren rather than Ferrari or Mercedes that will close the gap. Last year, Oscar Piastri defied the odds by putting on a spectacular performance as a rookie. With Norris at his side, it’s possible the duo will have the momentum and confidence to nip at the heels of Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull—especially with a reportedly stellar car in their lineup.
Ferrari & Mercedes Walk
Ferrari has slipped from most conversations about the 2024 Formula One season. While Scuderia fans are holding out hope that 2024’s car is competitive (and functional), there doesn’t seem to be a hope for contention. Mercedes, on the other hand, isn’t quite ready to give up the fight. Despite the fact that Hamilton posted his worst performance on record in 2023, George Russell still looks up for the fight—so long as Mercedes’ car is up for it too.