Marko names advantage Red Bull: 'We are champions'

With Charles Leclerc on pole and Max Verstappen next to him on the grid, the Spanish Grand Prix also looks set to be a battle once again between Ferrari and Red Bull Racing. The differences up front are extremely small, both over one fast lap and also during the long runs.

During Friday's free practice, Verstappen was well in his element during the long runs. The reigning champion had a tighter pace to pick up on the medium tires than the Ferraris. A day later, Leclerc was a lot better on track, noting that he was able to keep the softs good for a long time.

Red Bull also saw that Ferrari made the necessary steps in 24 hours. "They have definitely improved," advisor Helmut Marko told Auto, Motor und Sport. "You should see how close they have come to us." Still, his team has an advantage over the Italians, the Austrian believes.

"We are the world champion. The situation is new for Ferrari. There the pressure is bigger. And Max has proven in the last two races that he makes no mistakes and immediately takes advantage of the smallest weakness of the opponent. I hope Checo Perez can still help him in the race," Marko said.