Pierre Waché — Red Bull’s technical director — does not yet see his own team as the clear favourite for the upcoming season. The outfit was tagged as such by, among others, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, but Waché says the Austrians are actually behind the Silver Arrows: ‘We are certainly not the benchmark’.
Red Bull were showered with praise during the opening test days in Bahrain. The most striking comments came from Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who even called the Austrians ‘the benchmark’. ‘A diversionary manoeuvre,’ said Max Verstappen. ‘They’re trying to shift the pressure onto us,’ the Red Bull driver added. ‘Just wait until Melbourne.’
‘We are not the benchmark’
Pierre Waché, Red Bull’s technical director, is far from convinced his team is the outright favourite. “We are certainly not the benchmark. The top three teams — Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren — are ahead of us. At least according to our own analysis,” he told the media in Bahrain. “At this stage it’s always hard to judge, because you don’t know how much fuel others are carrying or what power mode they’re running. But we think we’re behind them. On the other hand, we’re primarily focusing on ourselves.”
The technical chief knows Verstappen has been vocal about the new-generation Formula 1 cars. The Dutchman previously described the new machines as ‘Formula E on steroids’. “But ultimately that’s down to the regulations and that’s for the FIA and the Formula 1 leadership,” Waché continued. “My aim is to make sure he can fight at the front. We’re running our own power unit for the first time and, if you look at what our power unit department has achieved, that’s already a massive accomplishment.”
