The first day of free practice sessions for the Australian GP was uneventful for Red Bull Racing. Although both Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson managed to keep the car away from the wall and unharmed, the pace of the RB21 seems to be a serious concern. But the team’s advisor, Helmut Marko, thinks things could play in their hands if the weather prediction does not change for the race.
As it stands, the weather reports show a very hot qualifying session followed by a wet race on Sunday. After the first 2 practice sessions for the Australian Grand Prix, it seems clear that McLaren is the fastest on the grid, with Ferrari behind them. As it stands, Red Bull could be the 3rd fastest team at the Australian GP. But if it rains during the race on Sunday, all this could change.
Helmut Marko Confident in Max Verstappen
It is no secret that Verstappen thrives in wet weather conditions. Ever since he joined Formula 1 in 2015, he has had a certain flair for driving in the rain. For example. Verstappen started the race in 17th place in wet conditions and went on to win with some impressive overtakes throughout the race as other drivers struggled to keep their cars on track.
After the first day of practice sessions on Friday, Helmut Marko spoke to SkyDE, where he said:
“I heard it’s going to rain. And then of course the Max factor is back… We just have to take the fuel out and give our drivers more power.”
As it stands, heavy rain is not predicted at the time of the race, so we can expect the cars to be out on intermediate tyres. Even if Max is unable to qualify for the front row on Saturday, he will have a good chance at fighting for the win on Sunday if the weather prediction doesn’t change.
Helmut Marko not confident with Red Bull’s pace on slicks
After the first day of practice sessions in Melbourne, Helmut Marko gave realistic feedback on the potential pecking order of the grid for qualifying and the race.
“The McLarens are faster. Ferrari is also fast, especially Charles Leclerc. And behind them, it will be exciting between us and Mercedes,” said Marko
Marko thinks that the RB21 is only fast enough to battle the Mercedes and not the McLaren and Ferraris, who will be battling for the race win. Just a couple of years back, Red Bull was dominating the sport, having won 21 out of 22 races on the calendar. But now, the team does not even expect to be in the top 2 unless it rains.
| First day of F1 is over
Charles Leclerc leads the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in the first FP2 of the season!
Here’s the top 10 of FP2 at Albert Park:#F1Testing #AustralianGP pic.twitter.com/jPrCpaxwfZ
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) March 14, 2025
This is a surprising downfall for the team. But it’s not over yet. In order to win a Championship, a team has to not just be fast at the start of the season but also develop their car throughout the season in order to stay at the top. So, Red Bull can still develop the RB21 and bring the team back to its glory as the season goes on.
Do you think Red Bull can win a Championship this year? Post your thoughts in the comments section below.
