Former Formula 1 driver Gerhard Berger believes that teams must be willing to take ‘radical steps’ if they want to beat Red Bull.
The team enjoyed an unprecedented run of dominance throughout the 2023 season, taking 21 victories out of 22 races with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez at the wheel of the RB19.
Rivals Mercedes and Ferrari have scrambled over the winter break to produce a car that can close the gap to them, with Berger believing that they must be willing to embrace new ideas.
“In Formula 1, things are always different than you think. The bar is very high. If Red Bull keeps its troops together like this, it will be difficult to catch up with them. It can only work if the others take radical steps. Ferrari still trusts the most,” he told Auto Motor und Sport.
“They were better in the second half of the season than the results showed. Mercedes and Hamilton must never be underestimated, and McLaren also does a very good job.”
Berger: One team dominance makes others seek perfection
Berger drew comparisons to Michael Schumacher during his era of dominance with Ferrari, which should act as motivation for the other teams to beat Red Bull.
“We already said in Schumacher’s time: This can’t go well for long. But such a dominance also arouses a certain enthusiasm, even with me. You are then simply trapped by perfection,” said Berger.
“That the driver again makes no mistake, that the team again unrolls every pit stop in best time, that the car does not stop again and the engine stops again. This already exerts a fascination and you just want to know if it will be like that again next time.”
