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Former F1 driver and presenter Martin Brundle has revealed that Red Bull's dominance with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez at Suzuka was a little heart-breaking for him as he expected more competition.
After Carlos Sainz ended Max Verstappen's winning streak in Australia, the weekend in Japan was hyped up for similar competition. Although the latter had retired from the race following a mechanical failure that helped Ferrari win, Sergio Perez was seemingly out of form as well.
Many expected competition in Japan but the track has been Red Bull's playground, with Verstappen locking in his second world championship on the track in 2022 and RBR clinching the constructors' championship in 2023.
F1 presenter Martin Brundle revealed that the Dutchman's win on the track "broke his heart". He was quoted as saying via PlanetF1:
"It broke my heart a little bit really, because I thought it might be a bit closer at the front. But that track was always going to suit Red Bull."
Max Verstappen won the race for the third consecutive time, leaving no opportunity for any other driver with a major lead ahead. The team has dominated since 2022 and continues to do so.
Former Red Bull driver claims Max Verstappen is in conversation with Mercedes regarding his future
Max Verstappen is locked with Red Bull until the 2028 F1 season, but recently, rumors indicating his move from the team stormed the paddock. These were fired up after Christian Horner told the media that RBR would let him break away from the contract earlier if he wished to.
Although nothing new has been talked about since, Robert Doornboss told Ziggo Sport that Verstappen is in conversation with Mercedes regarding the future, gaining information on how the team is planning to move forward with new regulations.
"I have heard from my reliable bird that Max is already having conversations with Mercedes, purely to see one-on-one what the feeling is for the future. What is Mercedes going to do with the engine is one of the most important questions that would have been discussed," he said.
A major change that will occur for Red Bull is the change in their power units, which will be manufactured in partnership with Ford later. It is not estimated so far if this will be a positive change for them, but if rival teams manage to build better engines, the Milton Keynes outfit might no longer dominate.
