Red Bull's Helmut Marko discussed where the Red Bull Racing F1 team stands ahead of the 13th round of the season at Hungaroring.
Red Bull did not have the fastest car in the seven races preceding the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix. Although the team from Milton Keynes introduced a significant upgrade at Silverstone, they still seemed slower than Mercedes and McLaren.
The Austrian F1 team has also failed to win in the last two races and will be looking to get its driver back on the podium in Budapest. But do they have what it takes?
Red Bull's motorsport advisor, Helmut Marko, talked to OE24 ahead of the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix and suggested that his team does not feel as confident as they might have liked.
"It won't be that easy. We didn't have the fastest car in Silverstone. We have one problem if not several. But as long as we extend our lead in every race, it'll be fine."
Extending the lead in the Championship is the most important thing, and Red Bull managed to keep doing that despite not having the fastest car.
However, their star driver, Max Verstappen is not happy with the current situation as he warned the team from Milton Keynes will not win the Championship if their car doesn't improve soon. Marko addressed the Dutchman's comments:
"Max wants to win, of course, and that's understandable. Although races like this are not bad for the sporting image of Formula 1. Otherwise, it would actually be boring."
The team that won the last two races is Mercedes. Silver Arrows made rapid progress over the last few Grand Prix races, and although they weren't the fastest in Austria, they were competitive at Silverstone and are planning to bring more upgrades this weekend.
Could Mercedes be the team to beat during the 13th round of the season at Hungaroring? The German team used to struggle in the hot conditions, but Marko wouldn't be surprised if they were also fast in Budapest.
"They have taken a step forward. But that doesn't mean they have the fastest car yet. Silverstone, with its cool temperatures, was good for Mercedes."
"They usually struggle in the heat. But what is normal this season? We're experiencing such ups and downs that we're sometimes at a loss."