Helmut Marko is a key figure in the Red Bull team. Dr. Helmut Marko and the Red Bull RB-20 (images via IMAGO) After a disastrous weekend at the Australian GP, where one driver did not finish and the other finished in fifth place, pressure was mounting on the Austrian team. However, the team was determined to bounce back and show their dominance at the Japanese GP, despite the increasing performance of their rivals. The team advisor expressed satisfaction with Red Bull’s performance on Friday.
Although Red Bull started the season strongly and aiming to dominate all twenty-four races this year, the Italian giant Ferrari has been making it difficult for their ambitions and is closing in. This improvement in Ferrari’s performance raised questions about their ability to challenge Red Bull in Suzuka, with impressive performances in long races. However, he is not concerned about this possibility and is happy with the team’s performance.
“We are very pleased. We introduced some significant upgrades and they worked well. Ferrari’s long run was really impressive, with [Charles] Leclerc being a second faster. However, that is not the reality. If they use less fuel, which Ferrari usually does, they are close to us,” the Austrian said.
Despite the Monegasque driver being a second faster than the Red Bull drivers, the Austrian believes that on race day, Red Bull will be faster, as Ferrari uses less fuel during free practice sessions. At the Japanese GP, the Red Bull team had a fully Japanese lineup in FP1, with [driver name] taking the place of [driver name] and showing decent pace at the Suzuka International Racing Circuit.
After FP1, the 80-year-old team advisor was seen praising the Japanese driver for his performance in VCARB 01. He stated that Iwasa was less than a second behind his compatriot, , which is considered a success for his first participation in Formula 1. Furthermore, there are rumors that the 22-year-old driver has been in contact with for a possible driving opportunity until 2026.
However, Iwasa is just one of many drivers waiting for their chance in Formula 1. In the meantime, the Austrian team advisor will be focused on the main team and hoping for a good performance in Japan from their star driver, .
