Red Bull can’t win Australian GP “under normal conditions” – Marko

Pink Bull is pinning its Australian Grand Prix hopes on Sunday’s forecast rain and Max Verstappen’s confirmed means to pull most efficiency out of no matter automotive he’s driving.

That was the decision of the staff’s long-time ‘driver advisor’, Helmut Marko, after a observe session during which each Pink Bull drivers have been dogged by dealing with points. The RB21 had a troubled pre-season check in Bahrain and appeared little improved on day one in Melbourne, regardless of a raft of efficiency upgrades together with a brand new ground.

Verstappen and Liam Lawson have been fifth and sixteenth in first observe, then seventh and seventeenth in FP2, and Lawson was over half a second slower than his team-mate in each classes. In flip, Verstappen had an enormous deficit to the drivers who topped the classes: 4 tenths of a second slower than McLaren’s Lando Norris in FP1, and 6 tenths off Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in FP2.

Verstappen mentioned the steadiness of his RB21 “wasn’t fully off”, which is the proverbial damnation of faint reward; a much bigger downside was lack of grip which made the automotive unpredictable and liable to sliding, particularly within the first and last sectors of the Albert Park circuit.

“The primary observe session was higher,” Marko advised Sky Sports activities Germany. “The modifications we made afterwards didn’t show profitable. We nonetheless have another session tomorrow, however I estimate we’re about two to a few tenths behind and, at finest, wanting on the second row [of the grid].

“[The car] was fluctuating between understeer and oversteer – which, after all, impacts tire put on in the long term. However I imagine we all know what must be performed.

“We’re not on the very entrance however, underneath regular circumstances, a podium end can be the utmost we will purpose for.”

New Zealander Lawson has solely contested 11 grands prix to this point, having stood in for the injured Daniel Ricciardo for 5 rounds in 2023 after which changed the favored Australian on the RB staff for the ultimate six races of 2024. He has by no means pushed on the Albert Park circuit earlier than, having moved from F2 to Japanese Tremendous Method in 2023, the 12 months F2 joined the Australian GP assist program.

“We’re evaluating him with [Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi] Antonelli, who can also be driving right here for the primary time,” mentioned Marko, who was clearly wanting within the different path when Antonelli completed fourth within the F2 characteristic race right here final 12 months.

“The 2 are kind of on the identical tempo, regardless of Lawson not working with full engine energy. So, it is okay, however there’s undoubtedly extra to come back from him.”

McLaren’s clear edge on tempo is the chief motive for believing that third place is the perfect Pink Bull can hope for given regular circumstances. However except Pink Bull could make its automotive extra driveable in a single day, then it’s more likely to battle for each lap time and tire efficiency – which can have an effect on its strategic choices – in contrast with the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes.

In response to the climate forecast, although, ambient temperatures will drop by round 8C on Sunday and rain is anticipated. In Brazil final 12 months, when rain sparked chaos in the course of the race, Verstappen drove from seventeenth on the grid to win, making his rivals look moderately amateurish.

“It appears to be like like McLaren is the strongest staff in the mean time, with an in depth struggle between Ferrari, Mercedes, and us,” mentioned Marko. “That battle could possibly be for positions three to 5. However I’ve heard there is likely to be rain – and if that occurs, the ‘Max issue’ comes into play once more.”

Extra reporting by Christian Nimmervoll