Nicole MulderManaging Editor
Nicole Mulder is Managing Editor at GPblog and a specialist in Formula 1 and MotoGP. With years of experience and permanent FIA accreditation at Grands Prix worldwide, she delivers reliable coverage and insights based on direct access to drivers and the F1 paddock.
Mercedes opened the Grand Prix weekend in Las Vegas strongly by posting the fastest time in both the first and second free practice sessions. However, Helmut Marko is not convinced: speaking to GPblog and others, the Red Bull Racing advisor stressed that Toto Wolff's Formula 1 team often excels on Friday, only to fall back during the weekend.
Why Marko is not convinced by Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton set the fastest lap time in both FP1 and FP2 at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, with teammate George Russell in P2 and P3, respectively. Marko was unsurprised when he left the Red Bull garage to take the short walk to the Austrian F1 team's hospitality area.
"We had this several times this year," the 81-year-old man from Graz said about Mercedes' performance in free practice. "Tomorrow is a different day. We saw it a lot of times. People who were fastest on Friday or Thursday here doesn't mean that they are fast in the race."
Not only Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez struggled on the first day in Las Vegas. Red Bull's sister team VCARB also struggled on the cold tarmac on the Strip. In FP1, Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson finished in the last two spots, but in FP2 they managed to make a move with 10th and 15th place. "They were completely off pace in the first session, but now they improved and they moved up a little bit. I believe they could be in the fight for P6 again," Marko concluded.
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This article has been created in collaboration with Matt Gretton
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