Former McLaren mechanic Marc Priestley has weighed in on Max Verstappen’s retirement at the Australian Grand Prix, suggesting that the incident has shattered Red Bull Racing’s aura of invincibility, particularly with Carlos Sainz ending their winning streak.

‘If Red Bull haven’t got Max Verstappen, what have you got?’

Verstappen entered the Australian Grand Prix as the dominant favorite for victory, having set his sights on a record-equalling 10th consecutive Grand Prix win. 

However, his aspirations were dashed when a terminal right rear brake failure forced him to retire from the race after initially securing pole position.

“To see him disappear out of this race so early with a technical failure was really unusual,” said Priestley on the Chequered Flag podcast.

Priestley highlighted the significance of Verstappen’s early exit, emphasizing the opportunity it presented to other teams on the grid. 

He noted that while Red Bull had been perceived as nearly invincible, the unforeseen technical issue exposed a vulnerability within the team.

“It was an unusual weekend and what that gave was opportunity to everybody else up and down the grid. Everyone suddenly saw – even way down towards the back – people saw the opportunity of points happening, so it’s opened up.

The former McLaren mechanic pointed out that Verstappen’s retirement also underscored the importance of having a competitive second driver, as Sergio Perez’s fifth-place finish in Australia failed to support the team’s championship aspirations.

“What made a great Sunday, a great race, not just because Max Verstappen was out of it, this was a great race anyway and it was close racing, but I think this shows that there is a vulnerability to Red Bull Racing that we all thought there kind of wasn’t. We thought they were invincible. Well, they’re not.

“What it does really highlight is the fact that if you’re Red Bull, and you haven’t got Max Verstappen, what have you got? Because Sergio wasn’t there in second place, which is where they really need him to be. So this has highlighted an even bigger problem perhaps for Red Bull Racing.”

Contrary to Priestley’s analysis, Red Bull Racing cited a significant mitigating factor in Perez’s case, explaining that a visor tear-off became lodged in his car’s floor, leading to a loss of downforce and performance.

“We went long on the first stint,” Red Bull team boss Christian Horner told media in regards to Perez’s race.

“And his actual pace when he was coming through the field on the hard tyre as he closed in on Fernando was strong, and matching that of the leaders.

“Then, literally as he’s passed Fernando, he’s picked up a tear-off underneath the floor, and it’s got lodged in an area that’s caused significant load loss.

“So as he’s then passed Fernando, the car’s not working as it should. And so then you start to see degradation on the tyre, and again at the end of the second stint, which has been unusual for our cars.”

Looking ahead, Verstappen aims to bounce back at the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, where he seeks to secure his third consecutive victory and reignite Red Bull’s championship campaign in the 2024 Formula 1 season.