Red Bull Motorsport Consultant Helmut Marko assessed the start of the season and provided a forecast for the upcoming race weekend in Melbourne.
Q: If Red Bull Racing doesn’t allow a repeat of the problems the team had in Bahrain, will anyone be able to prevent Max Verstappen from taking home a second title in a row?
Helmut Marko: Max is going to have a long and difficult season. First in the tests, then in the races, we were convinced that the Ferrari car is fast in all conditions. And let’s not forget about Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton is only nine points behind Max. I am sure they will solve their problems and catch up with us.
Q: Can Mercedes already overtake you in Melbourne?
Helmut Marko: I can hardly imagine such a development of events. First they have to solve the problem of the car swaying on the straights and then go deeper into the detailed adjustment of the settings.
Q: But Mercedes is a suitable circuit in Melbourne?
Helmut Marko: Depending on the condition of the asphalt. We haven’t raced in Melbourne in two years, so nobody knows what the track is like.
Q: George Russell is fourth in the individual standings and just three points behind Max Verstappen. Could he become Mercedes’ new leader this season?
Helmut Marko: No, Russell has not yet approached Hamilton’s level. In Bahrain Lewis had problems and in the last race he couldn’t get into the settings and couldn’t get the tires within the working range.
Q: Will Mick Schumacher overcome the fallout from the Jeddah accident?
Helmut Marko: Mick had a difficult first stage in Bahrain, which was especially noticeable compared to his partner Kevin Magnussen. In Jeddah he was better, until a mistake with the most serious consequences. I hope this accident doesn’t bring him back.
Source: F1 News
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