Helmut Marko optimistic despite low-key Red Bull showing: Much better than Zandvoort

Despite Red Bull finishing down the order in Friday practice at Monza, Helmut Marko believes the team is in a much better place than the Dutch GP.

The two Red Bull drivers finished down in 14th and 15th place in second practice at the Italian Grand Prix, almost a second off the pace set by Lewis Hamilton for Mercedes, but Helmut Marko was nevertheless smiling after the chequered flag.

Red Bull ‘better than it looks’ despite bottom-10 finish

Speaking following the session, Marko revealed that the competitiveness of the RB20 appears to be much greater than the lap times might suggest.

“No, but we are better than it looks,” Marko smiled when asked about the lack of representative time from Max Verstappen, who used the medium tyres for his fastest lap.

“On the qualifying simulation, Max had a wobble at Parabolica. There, he was two-tenths behind, I guess, [Lando] Norris but without normal engine power like the others had.

“In the long run, until graining started, we were very competitive. But then the drop-off was a little bit radical. It came when he had to slow down, I think, for a car in front of him. So we have to sort that.”

Having had a tough weekend last time out at the Dutch Grand Prix, Marko confirmed the car is in a much stronger place than it had been at the same point of the weekend at Zandvoort – lower power engine modes and tyre decisions having played a part in the low-key showing.

“Basically, we are much better than in Zandvoort. Yes, much better, yeah,” he said.

More on Max Verstappen and Red Bull

👉 Inside Red Bull: Christian Horner and the other major players in Red Bull’s hierarchy

👉 Max Verstappen car collection: What supercars does the F1 World Champion own?

The concern Marko does have is regarding the graining, which he believes is a condition exacerbated by the newly resurfaced top layer of tarmac of the Monza racetrack – the graining being something that is currently a bigger issue than the balance which Verstappen has been critical of in recent weeks, and which Marko said has “definitely” improved.

“From FP1 onwards but, when the graining starts, it’s radical and the car falls back,” he said.

“The graining starts after five to seven laps but it came together with when he slowed down. So he has to go flat out all the time to solve it!

“We will have to sort out if it’s a one or two-stop, but the tarmac is getting better and better with every lap. So let’s see what happens. No rain is around – we have two F3 and F2 races so I think it should improve, and, the more it improves, the less the chances for graining should be.”

While things are better for Red Bull, Marko doubts the team is a step ahead of the rest and that the battle will extend to include Ferrari and Mercedes alongside the McLarens.

“I think it’s four cars in the mix,” he said, before laughing when asked if it’s a benefit to Red Bull that there are other cars potentially able to take points away from the competitive McLarens, “as long as we are ahead, yes!”

Read Next: Toto Wolff’s ‘must cope’ warning to Kimi Antonelli after F1 debut crash