Marko optimistic about Red Bull's Baku race pace despite qualifying struggles

Helmut Marko, Red Bull's motorsport advisor, identified a silver lining in the team's challenging Friday at Baku, expressing confidence in their long-run pace despite both Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda finishing well off the leading positions in practice. He believes Red Bull can contend for top spots in the race, even if a significant improvement is needed for qualifying.

Why it matters:

Red Bull's performance in Baku's practice sessions is crucial as they aim to prove their strong showing at Monza was not an anomaly. With a tight championship battle, consistent performance across different circuit types is vital for maintaining pressure on rivals and showcasing the RB20's versatility, especially in a weekend format that places a premium on maximizing every session.

The details:

• Qualifying deficit: Marko acknowledged that Red Bull needs to find "a tenth, maybe a tenth and a half" in pace for a single qualifying lap.
  • He believes this improvement is achievable through "some fine-tuning."
• Promising long-run pace: Despite the single-lap struggles, Marko stated, "In the long run, we are promising. I think we are in a position to fight at the front."
• Verstappen's push for improvement: Marko noted, "Max is always asking for the maximum and he wants improvement and as I said he must find something qualifying but the improvement from FP1 to FP2 was significant."
• Monza validation: Marko is confident Red Bull can demonstrate that their strong result at Monza was not a one-off, aiming to prove their competitiveness on the Azerbaijani circuit.
• Car setup: He highlighted that the car has a "wider window" and is "easier to set up," indicating a step forward in the RB20's development.

The big picture:

Red Bull's Friday in Baku presented a mixed bag. Yuki Tsunoda showed solid form in FP1, finishing sixth, just ahead of Verstappen, both around a second off the leading pace. However, FP2 saw Tsunoda drop to fourteenth, while Verstappen could only manage sixth. This discrepancy between practice sessions and the gap to the frontrunners, particularly on a single lap, underscores the challenge of optimizing the car for the unique demands of the Baku City Circuit. The team's optimism stems from their perceived strong long-run pace, suggesting they have a competitive package for Sunday.

What's next:

Marko's forecast is bold: "I believe we will be in the top three tomorrow in qualifying. That means we can also fight for the win in the race." This indicates Red Bull's confidence in unlocking more performance overnight. If they can indeed make the necessary qualifying improvements, they will be a serious contender against rivals like McLaren, especially given their promising long-run data.