F1 News: Helmut Marko Sends Sly Dig To Red Bull Rivals - "Cars All Look Like The RB19"

Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko claims the other teams have adopted the RB19 design for 2024.

Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko commented on the similarity of competitor cars to last year's model during the first day of pre-season testing. Max Verstappen led the day with a solid performance, hinting at a promising start for the Austrian team.

Key Takeaways:

• Red Bull's pre-season testing began on a high note, with Verstappen showcasing top speed and comfort in the RB20.
• Marko subtly criticised rivals, suggesting their new models closely resemble Red Bull's previous year's car, the RB19.
• Despite the early success, both Marko and Verstappen caution that pre-season timings are not entirely indicative of true competitive performance.

Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has shared his candid thoughts on the opening day of Formula 1's pre-season testing. With the team experiencing a positive start, Max Verstappen, the reigning world champion, demonstrated his prowess by clocking the fastest lap, much to the delight of the Red Bull camp. However, Marko, known for his forthrightness, did not shy away from making pointed remarks about the competition. Marko remarked to Autosport:

"I think they didn't expect what we would do. How should I say? The cars all look like [ours from] last year.

"It takes a while to do such a concept."

Verstappen echoed the team's positive sentiments, expressing satisfaction with the RB20's responsiveness to adjustments. The Dutch driver's ability to quickly reacclimatise after the off-season break and his constructive feedback highlighted a well-oiled machine gearing up for the challenges ahead. Verstappen commented:

“We covered a lot of laps and tried quite a few things with the car, which was important. So happy overall with how it went.

"After the winter break, the first few laps always surprise you a little, but then you get back into the swing of things pretty quickly.

“Overall, the car was responding well, and considering this was only testing, we had a nice day. Looking to tomorrow, we are speaking to our engineers about what the plans will be, but I am looking forward to getting into the car in the afternoon.”

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