Helmut Marko: "The gap is far too big".

by Vanessa Georgoulas - Automatic translation from German
LAT

Red Bull Racing has won every GP so far this year. In Singapore, however, the world champion team started the GP weekend with difficulties. Red Bull motorsport advisor Dr Helmut Marko says what is causing trouble.

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The race weekend in Singapore did not start as desired for Red Bull Racing. In the first practice session, which took place in the heat of the afternoon, Max Verstappen was still third on the timesheet, with his team-mate Sergio Pérez seventh fastest.

In the second session, which was held in similar conditions to the race and qualifying, the Mexican was again seventh fastest, the champion slipped to eighth. The defending champion and world championship leader was more than seven tenths off the day's fastest time set by Ferrari star Carlos Sainz.

"The gap is far too big," said Red Bull motorsport consultant Dr Helmut Marko. "We have a new underbody and we didn't manage to find a good vehicle balance. We had oversteer and understeer all the time," the man from Graz described the problems of his protégés on the street circuit.

"We have to find something for qualifying, and we'll rack our brains overnight on how to do that," promised the man from Graz, who consoled himself: "But in the long run, Sergio Pérez was up front." That the red competition would be strong, "we expected," Marko explained. "Mercedes and Fernando Alonso are also there, so it's a close thing," he added.

2nd practice, Singapore

01 Carlos Sainz (E), Ferrari, 1:32.120 min
02 Charles Leclerc (MC), Ferrari, +0.018 sec
03 George Russell (GB), Mercedes, +0.235
04 Fernando Alonso (E), Aston Martin, +0.358
05 Lewis Hamilton (GB), Mercedes, +0.465
06th Lando Norris (GB), McLaren, +0,591
07 Sergio Pérez (MEX), Red Bull Racing, +0.692
08 Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing, +0.732
09 - Kevin Magnussen (DK), Haas, +0.897
10 - Valtteri Bottas (FIN), Alfa Romeo, +0.985
11th Nico Hülkenberg (D), Haas, +1.019
12th Liam Lawson (NZ), AlphaTauri, +1.165
13th Esteban Ocon (F), Alpine, +1.241
14th Lance Stroll (CDN), Aston Martin, +1.270
15th Oscar Piastri (AUS), McLaren, +1.341
16-Yuki Tsunoda (J), AlphaTauri, +1.357
17th Guanyu Zhou (RCH), Alfa Romeo, +1.455
18th Pierre Gasly (F), Alpine, +1.704
19th Logan Sargeant (USA), Williams, +2.207
20th Alex Albon (T), Williams, +3.438

1st practice, Singapore

01 Charles Leclerc (MC), Ferrari, 1:33.350 min
02 - Carlos Sainz (E), Ferrari, +0.078 sec
03 Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing, +0.126
04th Lando Norris (GB), McLaren, +0.172
05 Lewis Hamilton (GB), Mercedes, +0.190
06th George Russell (GB), Mercedes, +0,345
07 Sergio Pérez (MEX), Red Bull Racing, +0.375
08 Fernando Alonso (E), Aston Martin, +0.624
09-Yuki Tsunoda (J), AlphaTauri, +0.692
10th Esteban Ocon (F), Alpine, +0.716
11th Lance Stroll (CDN), Aston Martin, +1.218
12th Pierre Gasly (F), Alpine, +1.289
13th Alex Albon (T), Williams, +1.307
14th Valtteri Bottas (FIN), Alfa Romeo, +1.452
15th Kevin Magnussen (DK), Haas, +1.537
16th Liam Lawson (NZ), AlphaTauri, +1.544
17th Nico Hülkenberg (D), Haas, +1.635
18th Guanyu Zhou (RCH), Alfa Romeo, +2.106
19th Oscar Piastri (AUS), McLaren, +2.124
20th Logan Sargeant (USA), Williams, +2.428