Max Verstappen looks unstoppable (Image: Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
Max Verstappen has won the first two Grands Prix of the 2024 Formula 1 season by sizeable margins, with Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez comfortably finishing second on both occasions
Formula 1 legend Damon Hill has questioned what kind of motivation Red Bull will have for the remainder of the season after dominating the opening two races.
Lead driver Max Verstappen looks on course to eventually claim a fourth successive world title after winning both the Bahrain Grand Prix and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix by an average margin of 17 seconds. Comfortably in second place on each occasion has been his teammate, Sergio Perez.
Last season, Red Bull romped to a one-two finish to win the Constructors’ Championship as early as September, while Verstappen earned his third title with five Grands Prix remaining. Although we’re not even a month into the 2024 season, Hill has suggested the Dutchman’s dominance could actually be a problem for Red Bull.
“It’s nice when you’ve got a one-two to start off your season and your Constructors’ Championship, so the team feels great,” the 1996 world champion told F1 Nation. “The funny thing is, though, that it’s quite difficult to get that striving emotion.
“When you come second or you get beaten, you don’t like it, so you want to change that situation. There’s a lot of motivation to change. “Whereas when you win, you kind of… I know that they will still be trying very hard to find improvements and gains because they’ll have to, but at the same time, where’s the motivation?
“The only motivation is that you’re going to be caught, and if you’re looking over your shoulder and you can’t see anyone that’s going to catch you, then you can almost go on holiday.”
After being crowned world champion for the third time in December, Verstappen revealed what motivates him to keep producing race after race. “I love driving. I think that’s first and foremost, the most important to be here,” the 26-year-old explained, having finished top of the podium a remarkable 19 times in 2023.
“Winning is, of course, the best thing in Formula One. So for me, naturally, the motivation is there, because I know that for most of the races that I go to, this year, I have a big chance of winning. So naturally, that’s great.”
Thanks to Perez largely performing well, Red Bull only failed to win one Grand Prix last season – losing to Ferrari in Singapore – after team principal Christian Horner had previously admitted: “One day we’re going to get beaten. That’s inevitable, guaranteed. It’s just a question of when and we’ve just got to make the when as far away as we can.”
Max Verstappen has the opportunity to equal his own F1 record of 10 successive victories during next Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix, which starts at 4am UK time. Perez is aiming to close the gap on his teammate and make his case to be given a new contract at the end of the season.
