Martin Brundle says Red Bull “broke my heart” by dominating the Japanese Grand Prix after Carlos Sainz’s victory in Australia raised hopes of a closer 2024 F1 season.
Red Bull suffered their second defeat since the start of last season at the Australian GP last month, where Max Verstappen retired after just 3 laps due to a rear brake issue and Sergio Perez could return to fifth after a grid penalty.
However, the reigning constructors’ champions reasserted their dominance at Suzuka, where Verstappen led Red Bull’s third one-two finish in four races after a front-row lock-up.
Brundle was disappointed with Red Bull’s speed in Japan and admitted that Sainz’s victory in Melbourne had led to a tighter season that could be in the cards.
Appearing on the Sky F1 podcast, Brundle said: “What I learned is that despite my biggest hopes, desires and expectations, the box had closed the gap to Red Bull a little bit after Australia, when we went to one of the big Suzuka circuits, Red Bull finished first and second at a gallop.
Follow PlanetF1. com’s WhatsApp channel for all the latest F1 news!
Seven must-have F1 weekends to tick off your 2024 bucket list and how to get there in the most cost-effective way possible
“He actually broke my center a little bit, because I thought maybe I’d be a little bit closer up front. But this track was going to suit Red Bull. “
While Verstappen’s three wins in 2024 came within a gap of around 20 seconds to the third driver, Red Bull’s nature at Suzuka led Mercedes boss Toto Wolff to claim that “no one will catch Max this year”.
Brundle takes Wolff’s interjection as a no-brainer, saying only a significant jump ahead of one of Red Bull’s rivals can save Verstappen, winner of 47 of the last 70 races since the start of his first season in 2021, from the right direction. to a fourth consecutive world championship.
He said: “Toto wears his cross up his sleeve, especially when we find him right after the sadness in the Mercedes team at the moment.
“He has a tendency to let slip what he thinks about his own team and other teams.
“I think that states the obvious. The car is strong, Max is at his best, teammate Sergio Perez is more comfortable in the 2024 car, but at the same time it doesn’t wear out Max’s mirrors.
“Unless McLaren, Ferrari (Aston Martin, a Mercedes guy) come up with a cool upgrade that closes the gap, it has to be said that they seem to have both championships under control.
“But we still have 20 races to go and, as we saw in Australia, you never know what can happen. “
Read next: Why Sebastian Vettel Stains F1’s Legacy With Half-Hearted Comeback Prospect