Red Bull would have left the Turkish Grand Prix satisfied. The team got a double podium finish in the race, which was their first since the French Grand Prix. But Red Bull advisor Dr. Helmut Marko mentioned he was very concerned regarding the raw pace of the team.
Despite maximizing the result in Istanbul, the Austrian team were not on par with their rival Mercedes. Marko even stated that they were slower than their sister team, AlphaTauri.
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AlphaTauri was the fastest car on this track: Marko
As reported by Formula Passion, the Austrian told Auto Motor Und Sport that if we look at the driver’s performances, we can clearly see the difference. He mentioned AlphaTauri were faster than Red Bull in Turkey.
“If we consider the differences between the drivers, we can say that the AlphaTauri was the fastest car on this track and in these particular conditions. They simply set up a better set-up,” said the Red Bull advisor. (Translated via Google Translate)
He even raised concerns regarding the engine deficit they had as compared to Mercedes. He mentioned it was like the German team were running the entire race with a DRS on.
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Red Bull advisor raises concerns regarding the engine deficit
Lewis Hamilton took a new ICE on his engine, so Red Bull’s pace difference with Mercedes was quite clear to see. The Austrian team were been slower than Ferrari in the speed trap. Marko also pointed out the engine deficit and mentioned that they have to work on it.
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“We have to think of something, because Mercedes are so fast on the straights. They were almost 15km/h faster here, like when you drive with DRS. It’s been like this since Silverstone and the gap is only getting bigger.
“That engine superiority, I don’t know what it is and what we can do about it. We need to optimize our chassis even more so that we can balance it out again somewhat,” said Marko.
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With just six races to go in the championship, the Austrian team have to cut down the deficit as much as possible. They have a real chance at winning both championships at the end of the season.
Can Red Bull match up to their rivals in time? Let us know.