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SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA – Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing Team Consultant Dr Helmut Marko and Renault Sport F1 Managing Director Cyril Abiteboul talk on the grid before the Formula One Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
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SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA – Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing Team Consultant Dr Helmut Marko and Renault Sport F1 Managing Director Cyril Abiteboul talk on the grid before the Formula One Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas showcased a commanding performance in Turkey to secure his first victory after the 2020 Russian Grand Prix. The Finnish driver came home almost 15 seconds earlier than second-placed Max Verstappen.
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Meanwhile, the Red Bull advisor, Helmut Marko, is worried about Mercedes’ straight-line speed after the Turkish Grand Prix.
Watch Story: Verstappen the Big Winner as Hamilton Loses Out at Turkish F1 Grand Prix
I don’t know if our Honda people have an antidote: Helmut Marko
Since Lewis Hamilton‘s home race at Silverstone, the Berkely-based team have made major upgrades to their machinery. And since then, Mercedes have just improved their pace with every race weekend.
“What worries us is this unbelievable top speed from Mercedes on the straights. It has been observed since Silverstone and it seems to be increasing,” explained Helmut Marko after the Turkish GP.
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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)
In addition, Helmut Marko has concerns about whether their engine provider, Honda, has an antidote for Mercedes’ pace.
“I don’t know if our Honda people have an antidote. Otherwise, we’ll just have to try chassis-wise to compensate for it somehow,” added the Austrian. (Translated via Google Translate)
Bit slower than Mercedes, but overall a good result at the Turkish GP: Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen finished the race from where he started – P2. In addition, the 24-year-old has regained his lead in the drivers’ championship by six points over his arch-rival, Lewis Hamilton, who finished fifth. Furthermore, it was a double Red Bull delight as Sergio Perez took the last podium position, his first after the French GP.
However, Verstappen, who crossed the checkered flag 14.5 seconds adrift of the race winner, Valtteri Bottas, revealed it’s the maximum they could have achieved at Istanbul Park.
“I think we managed to maximise the result – Valtteri was of course a bit faster – but I think this whole weekend we were a bit behind in pace compared to Mercedes,” said Max Verstappen.
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Formula One F1 – Turkish Grand Prix – Intercity Istanbul Park, Istanbul, Turkey – October 10, 2021. Second-placed Red Bull’s Max Verstappen poses for a picture with third-placed Red Bull’s Sergio Perez after the race REUTERS/Umit Bektas.
“This race was all about just managing the tyres to a certain lap. But as a team to finish second and third here was a very good result,” concluded the Dutchman.
Read More: WATCH: Perez Demands a ‘Couple of Tequilas’ From Verstappen for Fending Off Hamilton
Can Red Bull replicate their impressive performance on the next race weekend at the United States Grand Prix? What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below.
