Red Bull’s Concerns Eased Ahead of Chinese Grand Prix Sprint

Red Bull was initially concerned about not making the front two rows for the Chinese Grand Prix sprint, according to advisor Helmut Marko, due to poor tire wear in practice sessions. The team had already confirmed that their main rival McLaren is a step ahead in pace and tire management during the season opener in Australia.

Red Bull’s Practice Woes and Improvements

In the sole practice session for Shanghai’s sprint weekend, Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Lawson finished 16th and 18th respectively, raising genuine concerns about their performance. However, in the top ten shootout, Verstappen managed to pull off a impressive lap that secured him second place, just 0.018 seconds behind Ferrari‘s Lewis Hamilton who clinched the sprint pole.

Marko admitted that Red Bull hadn’t expected to keep any McLaren or Ferrari car off the front two rows, stating, “It was much better than expected.” He added that several changes made to the car and a mega lap from Verstappen contributed to this positive surprise.

Tyre Wear Concerns and Future Prospects

Marko expanded on Red Bull’s practice woes, stating that they were not in the top six and tire wear was horrendous. He expressed hope that with these changes, the tire wear will improve significantly for the sprint race which is 19 laps long. Despite the concerns, he remains optimistic about their performance.

Red Bull’s Drivers Performance and Marko’s Comments

Liam Lawson was last on the grid due to a costly mistake, but Marko believes he deserved “more time.” He also praised an “unbelievable achievement” from Hamilton for grabbing a sprint pole on his second qualifying run aboard a Ferrari.

Marko also applauded the performances by Racing Bulls drivers Yuki Tsunoda (P8) and Isack Hadjar (P15). Despite criticism for his comments on Hadjar’s tearful Australian GP exit last week, he commended them for their smart strategy and impressive performance.