Crimson Bull advisor Helmut Marko has stated System 1’s first winter check day in Bahrain supplied promising clues that the staff could have lastly mounted its 2024 issues.
Final 12 months’s RB20 began off in dominant vogue within the arms of Max Verstappen, however it was steadily overhauled by McLaren and to a lesser extent Ferrari, whereas recurring stability issues hindered Verstappen and significantly his team-mate Sergio Perez, whose type was abysmal.
For this 12 months’s RB21, the Milton Keynes-based squad aimed to enhance the automotive stability and its set-up window with out compromising outright pace, having discovered a clearer route from September’s Italian Grand Prix to deal with the underlying issues.
Analysing early long-run knowledge from Wednesday’s first day of testing in Bahrain, Crimson Bull appeared to edge barely forward of McLaren, albeit with the same old caveats that accompany winter testing.
However when quizzed by Motorsport.com after Wednesday’s working, Marko stated the staff had been inspired by how properly the RB21 carried out on its maiden voyage.
“The lengthy runs had been actually aggressive; it was the quickest,” he stated. “The automotive is extra predictable and reacts to the modifications within the regular method. So, all the issues we had final 12 months, I consider they’re much higher, or possibly they’re additionally sorted.
Helmut Marko, Advisor, Crimson Bull Racing, Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing, Christian Horner, Group Principal, Crimson Bull Racing
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photographs
“Max says the automotive is extra complicated and is extra put collectively, and no matter they do on modifications, the automotive is reacting in the precise method.
“On his quickest lap, he had somewhat downside, so it may have been [quicker]. However anyway, we are saying that lengthy runs had been actually spectacular and our tyre put on was superb. The automotive has the broader vary and is extra predictable for the drivers.”
When requested if different groups had stood out to him, he replied: “McLaren was additionally very constant and quick. Similar with Mercedes. We anticipated extra from Ferrari, however there are two extra days, so we’ll see.”
Marko additionally reckons Verstappen’s new team-mate Liam Lawson has made a vivid begin to life at Crimson Bull’s A-team, although the New Zealander’s aspect of the storage remains to be exploring methods to get essentially the most out of the medium tyres.
“He did a very good job,” Marko added. “He simply could not achieve when he modified from arduous to medium.
“We additionally modified one thing on the automotive, which did not work, and he stated it was the mistaken determination. So, all people was gaining three to 5 tenths, and he simply gained one tenth.”
Images from the Bahrain Pre-Season Testing – Day 2
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Mark Mann-Bryans
System 1
Crimson Bull Racing
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