Marko predicts sprint race tyres: 'You can't drive at full speed on those'

The sprint race for the Austrian Grand Prix promises to be an exciting one. The cars of Ferrari and Red Bull Racing are very close to each other. Helmut Marko reckons mediums will be the best option for the sprint race.

During the second free practice, Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez drove on softs and mediums. George Russell was the only driver during FP2 who used the hard tyres. Speaking to ORF, Marko explains his findings. "The front tyre is crucial. You can't drive at full speed on a set of mediums."

The Austrian thinks it will be a big gamble to use the soft tyres during the sprint race. If you can't go full speed on the mediums, the soft tyres won't last long either. According to Marko, the harder tyres are the best option.

"On the mediums you have to see what pace you can run, but at the moment the preference seems to be for the harder tyres", the Red Bull advisor says. Verstappen will have to defend his first place in the sprint race, while Perez has plenty of places to make up from P13 following his grid penalty.

At Sky Germany, Marko adds: "We want to win this sprint race. Ferrari is very strong. We have to take the tyres over the whole distance, but that doesn't mean we start on the soft tyres."