P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Red Bull did not set the times alight during Friday practice in Bahrain, leaving Helmut Marko to concede the team is too slow following the first day of running.
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko expressed concerns about the RB21 car’s performance in Bahrain, citing issues with overheating tyres during practice sessions. Despite Max Verstappen finishing as the fastest Red Bull driver in the second practice session, he could only manage seventh place. Marko highlighted the team’s struggles in the hot conditions and emphasized the challenge of controlling tyre temperatures. The team faced difficulties with tyre management, affecting both Verstappen’s lap times and long-run pace compared to competitors. Marko remains optimistic about implementing successful set-up changes to address these challenges and improve competitiveness ahead of the next day’s sessions.
