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Why F1 boss says Red Bull’s dominance won’t last

Published

1y ago

Dec 12, 2022 / 1183 Views

Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says he doubts that Red Bull and Max Verstappen will be able to continue dominating F1 as convincingly as they did in 2022.

Despite 2022 being the first year of a new set of technical regulations designed to produce closer racing, Verstappen wrapped up the Drivers' Championship title with four races to spare, and also set a new record for the number of wins and points in a single season, taking 15 victories on his way to racking up 454 points.

Helped by Verstappen's dominance, Red Bull also scooped their first Constructors' Championship since 2013. Domenicali noted that the team's supremacy was partly due to a lack of effective opposition over the course of the year, including a downturn in performance from the previously dominant Mercedes team.

"The season was decided quickly, for two reasons. Max Verstappen and Red Bull combined are the first reason. After a difficult start - don't forget that Max said his title fight was over after four races - they have delivered unique work," Domenicali told the Gazzetta dello Sport.

"The second reason is the absence of Mercedes. They were comPetitive only at the end of the year. The new rules have worked well. We saw a lot of wheel-to-wheel battles, which didn't happen before.

"Some patience is still needed, as always after major technical changes, but there have been very few races this season that have not been fun."

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Domenicali: Red Bull's dominance won't last long

Red Bull's performance in the first year of F1's new technical era prompted some to suggest that the team would enjoy several years of dominance, similar to that enjoyed by Mercedes from 2014 to 2021, and Ferrari from 2000 to 2004.

However, Domenicali said he expected other teams to catch up to the drinks-backed outfit as they become more accustomed to the sport's new rules, such as the need to operate within a budget cap.

"With the current regulations, also on an economic level thanks to the budget cap, I expect that many teams will be closer together in this battle, and I expect that teams' winning cycles will be much shorter in duration," said Domenicali.

The Italian also paid tribute to the job Verstappen had done in 2022, praising the Dutchman's performance in a field of high quality.

"Not to take away from the quality of a driver like Verstappen. He is like a cannibal at the moment with full focus on every race," said Domenicali.

"The level has been very high all year round. The quality of the field is very high across the board. If you look at the differences in qualifying, you see that everyone in the field is at the top level. For example, Alex Albon also contributed some great performances in his Williams."