“According to Helmut Marko, Red Bull wouldn’t be so far behind Mercedes”
The Barcelona tests provided a first idea of the evolution of the cars. However, the observations made only reflect a part of the real potential that all the teams evoke.
According to Helmut Marko, Special Advisor to Red Bull, the performances achieved by the teams in Barcelona only showed a fraction of the cars’ capabilities. Therefore, the half-second that separates Red Bull from Mercedes does not accurately represent the true level reached by the RB18.
The weight of the 2022 vehicles is an additional factor that the drivers have had to deal with on the Catalan track, and according to Marko, the cars are heavy but very fast. For him, Mercedes has a very different concept [from Red Bull]. “We are still far from the weight limit, and on top of that, there are new elements,” he argues.
The weight of the RB18 would partly explain the half-second delay of the Austrian team compared to its German rival. “We are not half a second behind,” claims Marko. Furthermore, the choice of tires played a significant role in the results. “We drove on hard tires, while Mercedes was using two softer ranges,” concludes the Red Bull advisor.
As for every team in the paddock, Red Bull is eagerly awaiting the Bahrain tests to get a real idea of the progress made by each competitor.
