1996 Formula 1 World Champion Damon Hill is doubtful that Red Bull’s likely title wins in 2022 will herald the start of an extended period of dominance for the drinks-backed squad.
Red Bull have won 13 of 16 races so far in 2022, with Max Verstappen winning the last five, and the Dutchman can seal the Drivers’ Championship at the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix if results fall his way.
Red Bull’s dominance in recent races calls to mind the start of F1’s turbo-hybrid era in 2014, when Mercedes won all but one available title between then and 2021.
However, Hill said he doubted that Red Bull would be able to match that level of preeminence, saying that other rivals would have learned from Red Bull’s performance this year.
Will other teams respond to Red Bull’s dominance?
“That’s the sort of question I asked [Red Bull Team Principal] Christian [Horner] actually, in Monza,” Hill told the F1 Nation podcast.
“When they changed the regulations to the hybrid [in 2014]Mercedes dominated for the whole of the era, effectively only losing in the final season of those regulations, and then with the new regulations, Red Bull have come in on the right foot.
“Is this going to be their period of dominance? I’m not so sure because it’s quite close.
“Mercedes have come out with a concept, they might review that, but they’re all going to be able to look at what Red Bull are doing this year and respond. I think Ferrari might do the same.
“I don’t know whether it’s going to be so easy to dominate, but definitely [Red Bull] have started on the right foot.”
