Doornbos doesn't expect any restraint in 2021: 'Both go all-in'

The battle for the world title in 2021 has definitively become a duel between Mercedes and Red Bull Racing, now that the latter team can finally say it is operating at a similar level to Mercedes. The difference between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton in particular is minimal. The question now is who gives up the title fight first.

"I think both teams will go 'all-in' until they see that the gap is too big at any given moment," analyst Robert Doornbos told Motorsport.com. He is referring to the further development of the current car. However, he doesn't expect the moment that either team gives up will come this season, it's too close for that.

Red Bull has been shopping around before

Still, one has to take into account the battle that will be fought from 2022 onwards. According to Doornbos, the fact that Red Bull has been busy buying staff from Mercedes' engine department in recent weeks shows that the Austrians can be trusted with future plans. He was there himself when they sent their connected driver David Coulthard on the road with the same goal in 2006.

"The bosses at Red Bull simply said to him: here's a blank cheque and please bring in the best people you can. Again, knowledge is power. Well, that's how Adrian Newey, Paul Monaghan and a few other top names were brought in. I think that project has been quite successful," Doornbos says with a sense of understatement.