Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has revealed that the team expects to return to a “more competitive” position in Formula 1 at the United States Grand Prix next month.
The reigning champions’ recent struggles continued on Max Verstappen‘s side in Azerbaijan last weekend as he rued a wrong set-up change causing handling issues.
Verstappen was unable to match team-mate Sergio Perez in Baku and qualified behind the sister car for the first time in 33 races, dating back to last season in Miami.
The Dutchman’s complaints about his car balance didn’t improve in the race and he ended up dropping behind title rival Lando Norris, who started down in 15th place.
Norris managed to capitalise on Verstappen’s advances being disrupted behind Alex Albon’s Williams in the first stint to reel in the Red Bull once he made his pit stop.
Nevertheless, Marko has acknowledged that Verstappen wasn’t on the pace throughout the weekend as he saw his points advantage slashed once again to 59 points.
“We got stuck behind Albon. That ruined Max’s race, but he also didn’t have the speed that Checo did,” Marko highlighted to Viaplay post-race.
“We have to see what caused the difference, but it’s going to be difficult like this [to win the Constructors’ Championship].”
Verstappen’s fourth place would prove to be Red Bull’s standalone points as Perez retired late on, leaving McLaren to take the lead in the Constructors’ Championship.
As Marko alluded to, Perez was in more competitive shape in Baku and was on course to end his protracted podium drought going back to April’s Chinese Grand Prix.
However, the Mexican’s duel with the Ferrari pair over second position on the penultimate lap saw him get entangled in a crash with Carlos Sainz which took both out.
The stewards elected to not penalise either over the incident which occurred on the back straight towards, Turn 3, but Marko has insisted that Sainz was accountable.
“Sainz drove into Checo,” Marko assessed.
Marko expects improved Red Bull in Austin
Perez’s clash with Sainz was a crucial blow to Red Bull’s championship aspirations as Oscar Piastri’s second career F1 win has seen McLaren open up a 20-point gap.
Marko has implied that Red Bull will endure more damage limitation this weekend in Singapore, but he anticipates a more competitive RB20 past the upcoming break.
“We believe that from Austin we will have a package that should make us more competitive, probably even very competitive,” he predicted.
“We have to wait until Austin. We still have to see what will happen in Singapore, but we lost three points here [with Verstappen to Norris]. That’s okay.”
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