Hakkinen understands frustration: "You can't afford this"

While Jan Lammers is not too worried about the early problems at Red Bull Racing, Mika Hakkinen has a different opinion. He thinks that one cannot afford technical defects at this level and can therefore imagine that Max Verstappen is not happy with the current performance of his RB18.

Hakkinen notes that Charles Leclerc was in complete control of the Australian Grand Prix, despite a determined Verstappen. Ferrari seems to have the ideal overall package in all circumstances. "That’s what any top driver wants – a car that’s quick from the start to finish and responding to all your inputs," says the Finn in his column for Unibet.

Even if Red Bull Racing succeeds in exploiting the full potential of the RB18 in Imola, the team cannot ignore the result of the first three races. "What’s important is that Charles has taken two wins and a second place from these first three Grands Prix, while Max Verstappen has had one win and two non-finishes," explains the two-time world champion.

Of course, a lot can still happen in the twenty remaining races, but the fact remains that Red Bull goes into those races with a hefty deficit. The points lost could prove crucial later on. "At this level you cannot afford to have constant technical failures. Max will not be happy," Hakkinen notes.