We’ve become accustomed to Red Bull and Max Verstappen breaking records this season, with the Dutchman’s 2023 grand prix wins tally now up to 17 and the team’s score at 19 following the Interlagos event last weekend. Notwithstanding Fernando Alonso’s brilliant efforts to deny Sergio Perez’s faster car a place on the podium, the result in Brazil was never in doubt. And that’s now the norm.
While the brilliance of Red Bull and Verstappen cannot be denied, it’s hardly made for a classic Formula 1 season. That has made some ask whether something needs to be done about Red Bull’s domination, so this week we take on that very question.
We look at previous eras of F1 domination, rule changes that helped mix things up (or not), and what some of the current key players think of the idea of slowing down Red Bull.
Really, it comes down to a debate about whether you think F1 should primarily be a sporting contest, one that’s meritocratic, or simply a form of entertainment. For a publication that has been around almost as long as the world championship itself, Autosport is clear about where we stand in the debate…
We also have our usual in-depth coverage of the Brazilian GP, as well as reporting on all the other international motorsport events from last weekend.
Toyota underlined its dominance of the World Endurance Championship (despite Balance of Performance) with another 1-2 in the Bahrain finale. Gary Watkins was there to see Sebastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa clinch the crown.
The Walter Hayes Trophy was the highlight on the UK scene. Stefan Mackley explains how the Formula Ford 1600 extravaganza was decided in typically dramatic style in our special report, while details of new series and our GB3 season review also feature in the 17-page National section.
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