In the lead-up to the Saudi Arabian GP qualifiers, Max Verstappen consistently fell short against McLaren. In Jeddah too, the ‘papayas’ seem to be dominating for now – during the last free practice, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri topped the time charts, a good six-tenths ahead of the rest of the field. According to Verstappen, McLaren’s dominance is partly due to the arrival of former Red Bull engineer Rob Marshall.
In light of the Saudi Arabian GP – where Red Bull has been dominant for the past three years – Max Verstappen had to temper expectations once again. For now, McLaren seems to be a bridge too far for the Austrian racing team. “At this point, it’s not realistic to say that we can make such a big leap,” Verstappen told the media in Jeddah. “But we’re trying to gain as much lap time as possible. It’s just hard to say how much we’ll improve exactly, and the others aren’t standing still either.”
Rob Marshall
Verstappen is convinced that former Red Bull designer Rob Marshall, who moved to McLaren last year, has played a significant role in the development of the ‘papayas’. Marshall is particularly praised for his expertise in wing flexibility. “Yes, I think he’s making the difference,” argued Verstappen. “As soon as he joined, you could see that immediately.”
As for Red Bull’s own progress, the team hopes to introduce upgrades during the Grands Prix of Imola and Barcelona. The racing stable seems to be struggling with the same balance issues as last year. The reigning world champion takes comfort in the thought that Red Bull has at least gained more insight into these problems. “At least now we know what’s going on,” Max Verstappen concluded. “Last year it took until the GP of Monza before we even knew where to look. That’s clearer now, which gives us hope that we can bring upgrades that actually improve the balance.”
Rob Marshall stood on the podium on behalf of McLaren (Red Bull Content Pool) during the opening race in Melbourne, alongside Max Verstappen.
