Helmut Marko “annoyed” at Japanese Grand Prix after Red Bull F1 car upgrades verdict

Red Bull have brought an “extensive” upgrade package to their RB20 F1 car with them to Suzuka for this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix, which was first tested in Friday practice.

Helmut Marko provided an optimistic report regarding the enhancements made to Red Bull’s car for the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix.

Nevertheless, he expressed frustration with the impressive speed displayed by Charles Leclerc in his Ferrari during FP1 on Friday, even though both Red Bull cars finished the session at the top of the timesheets.

Max Verstappen set the fastest time, with his teammate Sergio Perez just under two-tenths of a second behind. Leclerc finished sixth fastest during the session, trailing the Dutch driver by half a second.

Following the day’s running, which was affected by rain at Suzuka, Red Bull’s top advisor Marko expressed satisfaction with the performance of the upgrade package on the RB20s for this weekend’s race.

The Austrian mentioned that an update had been included in the pipeline beforehand. The comprehensive package performed as anticipated during the initial run. The technical modifications have been successful so far.

However, he expressed some concern about Leclerc’s impressive lap time, stating that it was slightly bothersome. He acknowledged Leclerc’s speed and noted the importance of determining the amount of fuel he had during that particular run.

Verstappen expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance after Friday practice at Suzuka.

He mentioned that the balance was good and everyone seemed closer compared to last year. Despite facing some challenges in FP2, he remains optimistic and pleased with the progress made during FP1.

Throughout the entire year, it appears that competitors have indeed closed the gap. While I cannot predict the long-run pace, I anticipate that the margins will not be as significant as they were at this track last year.

Team-mate Perez echoed similar sentiments, stating: “The session was positive overall. I was satisfied with the car’s performance, as I believe we have found a good setup. We seem to be in a similar position to many other teams, so we will have a clearer picture after tomorrow’s session.”