Friday's United States Grand Prix was a tumultuous day for Red Bull Racing. During FP1 Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen had little grip. In FP2 this was partly solved. Helmut Marko predicts a tough Sunday in spite of this.
Tough Friday for Red Bull
It was Perez who set the fastest time in FP2. That gives renewed hope to the Austrian team fighting with Mercedes for the constructors' title. The longruns also looked good in the afternoon.
Speaking to Auto Motor und Sport Team Advisor Marko further explained: "It's difficult to find the right set-up for our car. In the morning we had no grip, especially in the slow corners. Then we adjusted the set-up, and those measures worked."
Tyre wear plays a crucial role
As expected at the Circuit of the Americas, tyre wear will play a major role. Marko therefore expects a two-stop battle on Sunday. "The medium and the soft compound wear out incredibly quickly," said Marko.
"We expect two pit stops during the race. The teams that have the best control of the tires will drive at the front on Sunday."