On the first day of Formula 1 test trips in Bahrain, world champion Max Verstappen took third place, 0.244 seconds behind Lando Norris in the McLaren. With the first results of the new RB21 you are quite satisfied with Red Bull, as Helmut Marko recorded in the paddock after the end of the first test day.
“The Longruns were really competitive, almost the fastest. The car is more predictable and reacts to changes as it should,” the 81-year-old pulled a first interim conclusion in the evening. Even compared to the pre -season, one was able to make clear progress: “In my opinion, the problems we had last year are largely remedied – or maybe even completely solved.”
At the end of the day, Max Verstappen was missing a narrow quarter of Lando Norris in the McLaren. A value that Marko does not think of. “Max broke out slightly on his fastest round, so that a little more would have been possible,” he emphasized, referring to the good results at the Longruns.
Formula 1: Lawson “did a good job”
“Our tire wear was also very good. The car offers a larger work area and is more predictable – especially for the drivers. This is good,” said the Austrian. A total of 74 rounds of Verstappen in Bahrain on Wednesday afternoon. His new teammate Liam Lawson previously came to 58.
The New Zealand, who followed Sergio Perez at Red Bull, was “a bit enthusiastic” when the Mexican, joked Marko, who probably alluded to the little ride of the rookies, which, however, remained without consequences and sheet metal damage. Apart from that, the 23-year-old “did a good job”.
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In the end, the Youngster drove the eighth of the day. Maybe even more would have been in it. “When switching from hard to medium tires, he could not make up for so much time. We also made an adjustment to the car that did not work, even though they appeared logically. While all other three to five tenths found, he was only able to get a tenth,” said Marko.