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Formula One F1 – Spanish Grand Prix – Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain – May 9, 2021 Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton celebrates on the podium with the trophy after winning the race alongside Red Bull’s Max Verstappen who finished in second place REUTERS/Albert Gea
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Formula One F1 – Spanish Grand Prix – Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain – May 9, 2021 Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton celebrates on the podium with the trophy after winning the race alongside Red Bull’s Max Verstappen who finished in second place REUTERS/Albert Gea
With the 2021 Turkish GP underway, Thursday saw the F1 cars take to the track for the two practice sessions. With Red Bull of Max Verstappen breathing down the neck of Lewis Hamilton, as they are separated by only two points in the championship standings, both of the drivers are on the limit and are trying to eke out the extra tenth from their car which might make a difference in the championship standings.
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However, Max finished Behind Lewis in both the Practice Sessions. Now, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko revealed that even after trying everything they could, they are still not up to the pace of the Mercedes.
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Red Bull Lagging behind the Mercedes
The FP1 session ended with Lewis Hamilton in P1 followed by championship rival Max Verstappen in P2, a whopping four-tenths behind the defending champion. It only got worse for Verstappen as Hamilton finished on the top of the table again in FP2, but this time Max finished in P5, behind his teammate Sergio Perez. He was more than six tenths off the Mercedes of Hamilton.
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NUERBURG, GERMANY – OCTOBER 11: Second placed Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Red Bull Racing talks with Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner, Masashi Yamamoto of Honda and Red Bull Racing Team Consultant Dr Helmut Marko in parc ferme during the F1 Eifel Grand Prix at Nuerburgring in Nuerburg, Germany. (Photo by Dan Istitene – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
Red Bull revealed that they did not turn up their engine to the maximum power output level until the end of the long-run simulations that they were doing. And when they turned it up, they were immediately six tenths per lap faster. But even then, they are way off the pace in comparison to Mercedes.
Helmut Marko says they need to find something more in the car
Helmut Marko said, “Even if we factor that (turning up the engine) in, we’re slower than Mercedes. The car doesn’t turn in. We need to find something more in the car.”
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Formula One F1 – Dutch Grand Prix – Circuit Zandvoort, Zandvoort, Netherlands – September 5, 2021, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen celebrates with Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas on the podium with champagne as he celebrates after winning the race REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
The worry now for Red Bull is that their car needs something more, and they need to know where to get it from. Maybe setup changes or a different approach to the tracks by the drivers will help them find that extra something.
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One advantage that they will have is that Lewis is taking a 10 place grid penalty due to a new Internal Combustion Engine that he is taking in. But Istanbul is a track with good overtaking opportunities, so it’s expected that Lewis will cut his way through the field in no time.
But it’s for sure that Red Bull needs to use all of their experience, and find something extra in their car, to help Max Verstappen challenge Lewis for the race win.
