P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has admitted the team is wary of the “impressive” long-run pace Ferrari showed during practice
Ferrari has emerged as Red Bull’s closest contender in the early stages of the season, with solid performances by Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. Leclerc has been slightly behind Verstappen in qualifying sessions but showed impressive race pace in Saudi Arabia. In practice at Albert Park, Leclerc was notably faster than Verstappen, causing concern for Red Bull. Red Bull’s Helmut Marko feels that Ferrari’s strong race simulations are more worrying than their single-lap pace. Marko admitted that Red Bull needs to improve and fine-tune their setup to match Ferrari’s performance. While Red Bull had some setbacks with Verstappen’s limited track time, they are optimistic about refining their car and resolving internal tensions to continue their dominance in the ongoing season.
