Red Bull ‘technical crisis’ warning as Mario Andretti airs Adrian Newey theory

1978 World Champion Mario Andretti said Red Bull are experiencing a “technical crisis”, which he does link to the exit of Adrian Newey.

Red Bull are looking to respond with an upgraded RB20 at this weekend’s United States Grand Prix, having gone eight races without a win as McLaren have surged to the top of the Constructors’ standings, opening up a 41-point gap. McLaren’s Lando Norris meanwhile has reduced Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s Championship lead to 52 points.

Mario Andretti senses Adrian Newey Red Bull exit impact

Additional reporting by Elizabeth Blackstock

McLaren’s rise can be traced back to the Miami Grand Prix, that the event where in the build-up, F1 design guru Adrian Newey had announced his Red Bull departure. He will work on the Red Bull RB17 hypercar until his 2025 exit, at which point he will join Aston Martin in March of that year.

Newey has been at Red Bull for all 13 of their F1 title successes so far, and Andretti believes that Newey stepping away and Red Bull’s drop in form are linked.

“It may be a coincidence, but ever since Newey announced he was leaving the team, Red Bull has declined,” Andretti told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I hold Adrian in high regard, having worked with him in the 1980s [in IndyCar], and I say there’s a reason the team has suddenly lost direction in the development of the car.

“The car is no longer balanced, so Verstappen struggles to drive it. Max remains very good at making the most of the material at his disposal, but he can’t repeat the special performances he used to pull off in qualifying and on the race pace, while team-mate Sergio Perez is in great difficulty and therefore can’t help him.

“Red Bull needs to react and find some solutions quickly to get out of the current technical crisis.”

Verstappen is chasing a fourth successive F1 title, but Andretti believes that achievement is “on the line” with Norris chipping away at the Dutchman’s Championship lead.

Just six grands prix and three sprints remain for Norris in his bid to overhaul Verstappen and become F1 World Champion for the first time.

“So far Norris has not won the races he has won by chance. One cannot speak of lucky successes,” said Andretti.

“He and his team-mate Oscar Piastri, whom I like very much, have done great performances with the McLaren, which has returned to the top. Moreover, Lando finally managed to get off to a good start in Singapore, a taboo he didn’t want to talk about, and he could progress further until the end of the season.

“I met him this summer in America, we messed around with my cars on a circuit near Chicago, I know that Zak Brown [McLaren Racing CEO] has a huge regard for the Englishman.

“Of course, Verstappen remains favoured by the points, but his title is on the line. He must always finish on the podium if Norris is going to be at the front, and in the last races Piastri could also be there to help Lando. It is an exciting battle, which is good for Formula 1.”

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Norris’ Singapore GP win was his most commanding yet in Formula 1, but with Verstappen finishing P2, Norris admits that more of the same would not be enough for him to reel in his title rival.

Asked if he thinks he can get a good read on his title chances in Austin, with Red Bull bringing an upgraded RB20, Norris told the media including PlanetF1.com: “I think we’ve seen it for the last five, six weekends.

“I know people ask every weekend if this is a weekend that’s going to change something. It can go my way. It can go Max’s way.

“So I keep focus on doing what I’m doing. I’ve been doing a good job. I’m happy with with how things have gone. I’ve not been happy with always the final result for different reasons, but I’m happy with what we’re doing as a team and how we’re working together, and I’m confident if we just keep our heads down and keep pushing, we can do it and we can close the gap.

“But it’s not easy. I need more than just me first and Max second. But I can’t change that, so I just need to focus on myself and leave the rest to everyone else.”

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