Marko foresees tough task for Verstappen: "Will be a very difficult race".

Helmut Marko thinks there would have been stronger results for Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez if Yuki Tsunoda hadn't got in the way. The Red Bull Racing advisor is disappointed with the result and thinks it will be a tough task to overtake both Mercedes drivers on Sunday.

"This was very good bluffing from Mercedes," Marko told the German arm of Sky. Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton were suddenly a lot faster from Q2, while Red Bull failed to make progress. "We failed to get the tyres in the right temperature window. And then there was that incident with Tsunoda, which took out both our cars."

Without the incident, at least a P2 would have been achievable and maybe pole as well."I think we would have been very close or maybe in between. But the superiority that was there before is gone. It will be a very difficult race," the 78-year-old Austrian explained further.

In the second free practice session, long runs were simulated. Red Bull seemed to be the better side compared to Mercedes. Marko agrees: "I suppose we will be better again in race trim. But still: bitter disappointment."