Red Bull Trails Behind Norris at British GP, Marko Cites Performance Gaps at Silverstone

Helmut Marko has stated that Red Bull is not performing at the same standard as Lando Norris from McLaren during the British Grand Prix.

Helmut Marko has cautioned that Red Bull does not match the performance of McLaren's Lando Norris at this weekend's British Grand Prix in Formula 1.

Norris led the way in both Friday practice rounds at Silverstone, showcasing his dominance on his home ground.

Max Verstappen encountered challenges during the second practice session, securing the seventh-quickest lap, which was more than six-tenths slower than Norris.

In a conversation with ORF following the meeting, Marko disclosed that Red Bull is falling behind by almost 0.3 seconds just in the initial sector.

"Marko mentioned that they're falling behind significantly in the slow turns, particularly in the first sector, where they're dropping close to three-tenths."

In our initial practice session, our performance was subpar, and we also struggled during the longer runs. While we're still performing well, we haven't reached Norris's level yet, indicating we have significant improvements to make. Moreover, the weather predictions for Saturday and Sunday are unfavorable, which means we'll need to carefully consider the adjustments we make.

"Is it going to rain and then should you add more downforce to the vehicle? It's a curious choice to make, yet the strategy we opted for was clearly a mistake since we only fell behind. Particularly in the third sector, we're at a disadvantage in the tighter turns."

Marko remains skeptical that Red Bull can instantly solve their ongoing problems.

"He elaborated, noting a variety of factors at play. "The vehicle tends to slide excessively, and I believe the issue leans more towards the mechanical side. However, the gap isn't as wide as six-tenths, yet we're trailing behind Norris."

"We still need to determine whether we can achieve an optimal balance that allows us to sustain our speed in the sharp turns without compromising our performance in the tighter corners."

Speaking on Friday, Verstappen acknowledged that Red Bull needs to put in some effort.

"Verstappen described the situation as manageable, noting he went slightly beyond the intended mark, leading him to cancel his lap. He mentioned that the performance on the soft tyre wasn't up to expectations. However, during the second free practice session, the medium tyre seemed to offer better results. He highlighted that there's still progress to be made, mentioning that they experimented with a few adjustments to the car."

"It's essential to evaluate our potential improvements for the next day. This will guide our direction moving forward. Given the likelihood of rain, we must consider this in our planning."

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