As the battle for the 2024 title between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris shifts to Mexico, their escalating rivalry is expected to continue — though Ferrari appears poised to stay ahead of both contenders this weekend.
With Norris 57 points behind Verstappen, he was hoping for a stronger showing with a new floor on his McLaren this weekend, but his outlook remained cautious after Friday. "It's not a big gain," Norris admitted. "We'll probably fight for pole, even if we're a bit behind."
Verstappen faced even more serious troubles during Friday's sessions, with damage to his floor and engine problems limiting his track time. "The new floor is seriously damaged. Luckily, we have a spare one," Red Bull advisor Dr. Helmut Marko explained, also noting that they were still investigating the engine issues that left Verstappen with just four laps in the second session. "That's a lot of problems for one day. We've hardly done any laps."
Christian Horner, Red Bull's team principal, echoed the concerns, saying, "We're right at the limit with everything," referring to both engine allocations and spare parts availability.
Meanwhile, Sergio Perez, though logging more laps than his teammate, was less than optimistic about Red Bull's chances this weekend. "We are very far from the front," said the Mexican driver. "I'd like us to be a bit more competitive for the people, but unfortunately that's not the case."
Marko shared a cautious prediction for the weekend: "Optimistically, with Max, we should be between Ferrari and McLaren."
Ferrari's strong pace, as seen in both Austin with the 1-2 and now Mexico so far, complicates matters for Red Bull. While Ferrari's performance helps keep Norris from closing the gap too much, it also threatens Red Bull's position in the constructors' championship.
"We absolutely want to avoid falling to third place," Marko stressed. "The difference between second and third is around $7 million. You can clearly feel that in the budget."
Reflecting on the title fight, Marko noted the increased intensity compared to earlier in the season. "The mood is currently extremely heated," he admitted, referencing not just the on-track rivalry but also the war of words between Red Bull and McLaren.
While tensions rise, Horner denied that Red Bull is responsible for stoking the fire. "I'm always intrigued to read that because I don't think we've been making too many comments about McLaren," he said. "Now, inevitably, when you're running at the sharp end, then everything comes under more scrutiny.
"And McLaren are certainly being quite vocal about many, many parts of our team."
