Marko critical: 'Maybe we got too euphoric with qualifying'

Red Bull Racing had the best start to the season in years, but Max Verstappen's second place and Sergio Perez's fifth-place leave a bitter aftertaste. The team could have done a lot better.

Verstappen topped all free practice sessions in Bahrain and also took pole position on Saturday. That qualifying session was the highlight of the weekend for Helmut Marko. "I finally had the feeling again that we can fight for the world championship. That was a great relief," the Red Bull advisor told Sport24 Auto. Yet Marko remains critical. "But maybe we became too euphoric because of that."

Indeed, during the race things went anything but smoothly for Red Bull Racing. "It started with [Sergio] Perez changing the battery. Then the car stopped. We don't know why. Perez reacted really well and, starting with taking the steering wheel off, did all the steps that needed to be done. Then we had problems with the engine, plus the cooler temperatures, which we didn't respond well to, and finally Max's unfortunate overtaking manoeuvre."

Verstappen was also not always happy with the way the race was going during the 56 laps of the Bahrain International Circuit. "He complained that he had to let Hamilton overtake, but we had instructions from the FIA. Max said he would have easily taken the five-second penalty he probably would have received out in front, but then they would have given him 10 seconds."