What do F1 2024 title hopefuls need to do to catch Red Bull?

Formula 1: What Mercedes, Aston Martin, Ferrari, McLaren can do to catch Red Bull in 2024 Red Bull have won all 12 races of the 2023 Formula 1 season, leaving Mercedes, Aston Martin, Ferrari and McLaren to ponder how they can launch title challenges in 2024; the season resumes at Dutch GP from August 25, live on Sky Sports F1 Last Updated: 14/08/23 9:16am Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Max Verstappen won the Belgian GP to claim Red Bull's 12th victory in as many races this season Max Verstappen won the Belgian GP to claim Red Bull's 12th victory in as many races this season With Red Bull's relentless brilliance having left their Formula 1 rivals facing a huge task to restore parity, Sky Sports assess what each 2024 title hopeful needs to focus on for the remainder of the season. MercedesAfter eight successive constructors' titles from 2014-2021, it feels as though Mercedes are still coming to terms with no longer being F1's dominant force.They botched their first opportunity to hit back at Red Bull by sticking with a flawed design concept that they finally moved on from with a major set of upgrades that debuted at the Monaco Grand Prix in May. Unfortunately for Mercedes, the limitations of the cost cap have prevented them from performing a complete overhaul of the W14, leaving Lewis Hamilton and George Russell to continue to deal with some of the car's unhelpful characteristics.The Silver Arrows' main task for the remainder of the season is to ensure all of the key figures are on the same page over the direction they are moving in as development on next year's W15 gathers speed. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Sky Sports' Ted Kravitz analysed Mercedes' latest upgrades ahead of the Belgian GP Sky Sports' Ted Kravitz analysed Mercedes' latest upgrades ahead of the Belgian GP In a mid-term review, Mercedes technical director James Allison said that they had been "too cautious" with the design of the W14 amid fears over bouncing. There appears to be confidence that they know where the sweet spot is, but that will only be revealed come next February.Another thing Mercedes need to sort out before 2024 is Hamilton's contract extension, which remains unconfirmed months after team principal Toto Wolff said he thought it was "days" from being done.While a new deal does still appear to be a formality, confirmation of it will remove any lingering doubts around the team over Hamilton's commitment. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Lewis Hamilton says there's no need to rush his contract negotiations and insists he has no plans to quit the sport any time soon Lewis Hamilton says there's no need to rush his contract negotiations and insists he has no plans to quit the sport any time soon That situation hasn't distracted Hamilton on the track, with the 38-year-old delivering a hugely impressive run of form in the weeks before the summer break, but the same can't be said for his team-mate.After a brilliant debut season with Mercedes in which he outscored Hamilton, Russell has suffered a dip in performance, and must use the remainder of the campaign to regain confidence and return to the form that had established him as one of the sport's elite young drivers.Aston MartinAfter a stunning start to the season, which saw them rise from lower-midfield obscurity to fighting for podiums, Aston Martin's momentum has slowed as the season has gone on.Fernando Alonso claimed six podiums in the first eight races of the season in a fairytale return to contention at the front of the grid, but the 42-year-old failed to finish inside the top four in the final four races before the summer break.It's evident that Aston Martin designed a very strong car, with technical director Dan Fallows making an impressive impact following his arrival from Red Bull, but they have failed to take advantage of the additional wind-tunnel time they held in comparison to Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Fernando Alonso overtook the Mercedes pair of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton before getting past Ferrari's Carlos Sainz to finish third at the Bahrain Grand Prix Fernando Alonso overtook the Mercedes pair of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton before getting past Ferrari's Carlos Sainz to finish third at the Bahrain Grand Prix Major upgrades brought to the car at the Canadian Grand Prix in June having failed to deliver any notable advances, allowing Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren to outperform them in recent weeks.Aston Martin's arrival at the front of the grid was ahead of schedule, but their shortcomings during the campaign have made it clear that if they are to remain among the elite, in-season development has to improve.With the team having now moved into t