Helmut Marko smiled when Fernando Alonso said he “now thinks” that 19 of this year's 20 drivers will not win the title after Max Verstappen's pre-season performance.
The reigning world champion did not finish the three-day Bahrain test with the fastest lap time overall, but that was probably more to do with the tires and fuel load than his overt performance.
Instead, it was Ferrari who achieved not only first place but also 1-2, with Carlos Sainz setting a time of 1:29.921, four-tenths faster than Charles Leclerc's best time.
Helmut Marko predicts Ferrari's battle, especially in qualifying
Verstappen's fastest time on the first day was 1 minute 30.755 seconds, placing him sixth on the overall timesheet behind teammate Sergio Perez.
That did not change Alonso's opinion that the Dutchman would win his fourth consecutive drivers' title this season.
“I think Max is the world champion and Red Bull dominates the sport,” said the Aston Martin driver. “That's what the 19 drivers in the paddock are thinking right now.” [they] They won't win the championship.
“It happens 99 percent of the time in a career. This is a brutal sport.”
“It's realistic,” Marco told the Krone Zeitung with a smile after hearing the Spaniard's prediction.
But in a “serious” opinion, he added: “I think Ferrari is getting stronger and it could be a close battle in qualifying between Max and Leclerc, who is one of the best qualifiers.
“There are also track-specific parameters, so we just have to find out. If we can't get pole position in Monaco or Singapore, it will be difficult to win.”
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The goal this season is to win the championship again, as Red Bull achieved last season, and also aim for 1-2 in the drivers' standings.
However, what Red Bull will not be able to follow is last year's astonishing performance of winning 21 of 22 Grand Pix races.
“That’s not our goal,” Marco said. “Of course we want to get closer to this dream result, but the competition is getting closer. Our goal is the world championship title.
“But we have to wait and see. Testing and the fact that not all the cards have been released yet and qualifying on Friday is another thing.”
The team has performed well in pre-season testing and has achieved very good results so far.
When asked why he felt “positive” about next year, Red Bull's motorsport advisor said:
“So we were able to use all our know-how to develop a concept that was more innovative than evolutionary, allowing us to go in extreme directions without risking failure.
“Furthermore, the word conservative does not exist at all in the minds of engineers, especially Pierre Wasch and Adrian Newey. It is part of Red Bull's DNA.
“We surprised everyone with this car. One look at the narrow side pods is enough. You can also see that the entire field is based on our car. Therefore, our package fits To do.”
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