Jos Verstappen has advised Red Bull “to start focusing on racing” with the view that the team’s Formula 1 dominance “seems to be over” after the Monaco Grand Prix.
Red Bull entered the current campaign as the side to beat having dominated since F1 returned to ground effect cars and claiming wins in all but one race last season.
But while Red Bull continued to reign supreme in the opening rounds in 2024, both Ferrari and McLaren have taken victories in the past month through upgraded cars.
The Austrian outfit endured a troublesome weekend in Monaco as problems riding the bumps and kerbs on the street surface saw Max Verstappen trail back in sixth.
Ferrari’s success in the Principality has seen the gap in the Constructors’ Championship close to 24 points, while Charles Leclerc is now 31 points behind Verstappen.
Verstappen Sr has now claimed Red Bull should stop being distracted from the drama that encapsulated the team in recent times and be attentive to on-track matters.
“The era when Red Bull had the dominant car really seems to be over now,” Jos Verstappen told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.
“Maybe they should start focusing a bit more on racing and mutual communication again, rather than on other things…
“There will definitely be races where Red Bull will be in good shape again, but I am very curious to see how they are going to solve this. Something really needs to happen there.
“Red Bull needs to find out where this problem is coming from, because it is clear that teams like Ferrari and McLaren are getting closer.
“Max has still been able to mask that somewhat, but the big difference with Sergio Perez is becoming more and more obvious.”
Verstappen has complained about hitches with the RB20’s balance across the last three rounds, but he warned that Red Bull’s ride issues don’t have a short-term fix.
Although the Dutchman’s father expects that there will be upcoming races where Red Bull returns to form, he has underlined how essential it is to solve its limitation.
“There will definitely be races where Red Bull will be in good shape again,” he added.
“But I am very curious to see how they are going to solve this. Something really needs to happen there.
“Red Bull needs to find out where this problem is coming from, because it is clear that teams like Ferrari and McLaren are getting closer.”
