Helmut Marko Raises Alarm Over Red Bull’s Struggles at Australian GP
Red Bull Racing’s motorsport advisor, Helmut Marko, has issued a serious warning about the team’s performance ahead of the Australian Grand Prix. Marko admitted that Red Bull is unlikely to challenge for pole position after a challenging first day at Albert Park.
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen struggled on Friday, finishing only seventh on the timesheets. His performance highlighted the difficulties the Milton Keynes-based team faced, as they struggled to match their usual dominant pace. Adding to Red Bull’s concerns, Verstappen’s new teammate, Liam Lawson, endured an even tougher session. The young driver ended the day 17th, a full 10 places behind Verstappen. Notably, Lawson’s best lap on soft tyres was slower than Verstappen’s fastest lap on the harder medium compound.
The unexpected dip in performance has raised concerns about Red Bull’s competitiveness for the rest of the weekend. Marko’s comments suggest that the team is bracing for a tough qualifying session, with pole position likely out of reach. This development comes as a surprise, given Red Bull’s dominant start to the season in previous races.
With Ferrari, Mercedes, and McLaren all looking strong, Red Bull will need to make significant improvements overnight if they hope to remain competitive in Sunday’s race. As the team works to resolve their issues, all eyes will be on Verstappen and Lawson to see if they can recover and challenge for a strong result in Melbourne.
