Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko is satisfied with the course of the test days for the Austrian team. The RB18 appeared on the last day of testing with a major update and Marko hopes that the team will be at the front during the first race.
Just a little over a week to go and then the starting lights will officially go out for the first time of the season. The teams had the last opportunity to test the new cars on Saturday. Max Verstappen eventually managed to set the fastest time, but that doesn’t say anything about the mutual balance of power.
‘Completely satisfied’
Marko is happy that the updates on the RB18 are working, he says at OE24: “We are relieved that our car is working as it should, fully in line with the new rules and with all the updates.” Lewis Hamilton expects Ferrari to be the team to beat. “Don’t think Lewis didn’t realize that we were going to include updates, we were immediately on pole position. And that counts,” Marko says.
The 78-year-old Austrian also sees that porpoising poses no problem. “We have that under control too. As I said, we are completely happy with the new car and with all the updates. Now I’m just waiting for qualifying on Saturday, when the engine will be ramped up and all the cards will be on the table. ”
The Red Bull advisor has also seen the sidepods of Mercedes: “It looks revolutionary what Mercedes has brought. But what matters is the time.” The German racing stable has worked on the edge of the regulations, but the sidepods have turned out to be legal in the end. Marko, however, is not going to be bothered: “But I only remember last year, when Mercedes was also behind in the tests. But for us it is mainly about our car and we are doing well there.”
