Mar.11 (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko thinks Purple Bull will be overwhelmed in 2024 – however solely in sure particular person grands prix.
Ferrari and Mercedes emerged from the winter interval, following Purple Bull’s utter dominance in 2023, with excessive hopes – solely to find that the brand new Purple Bull remains to be simply on the entrance.
“In case you take a look at the place we had been a 12 months in the past, this championship began higher,” Ferrari chairman John Elkann mentioned on his go to to the Saudi Arabian GP final weekend.
“However the necessary factor is to at all times attempt to enhance and progress. In 2026 a cycle will shut, then one other will open,” he added, implying that Purple Bull may very well solely be overwhelmed as soon as the all-new engine and chassis guidelines arrive.
Lewis Hamilton has been wooed from Mercedes to steer the development from 2025 to the brand new period in 2026, with Elkann insisting: “Lewis becoming a member of Ferrari is an indication that he believes he can do nice issues with us.”
Earlier than Hamilton arrives, nevertheless, these nice issues usually are not fairly able to occur, with crew boss Frederic Vasseur admitting a efficiency hole stays.
“General, we’ve got made step ahead when it comes to degradation – now we’re lastly constant,” he mentioned. “However we’re lacking a little bit of tempo in comparison with Purple Bull – I’d say two-three tenths in qualifying and one thing extra within the race.
“So it’s not sufficient, we’d like one other step ahead. We’ve got to be sincere with ourselves,” Vasseur added.
As for the crew Hamilton will flee on the finish of the 12 months, Mercedes crew boss Toto Wolff admits the state of affairs with the all-new 2024 automobile is up to now “not good”.
“It’s not that we don’t strive,” he mentioned in Saudi Arabia final weekend, “however in three quick corners we lose half a second. We don’t know why we try this.
“We’re going round in circles,” Wolff mentioned. “We’ve been attempting to know this for 2 years.”
And so, regardless of the ability wrestle that’s raging at Purple Bull, reigning consecutive triple world champion Max Verstappen remains to be clearly forward of each rival.
“The best way Max closes himself off from every thing else that is occurring is nice,” Marko, Purple Bull advisor, mentioned. “What impressed me probably the most is that he didn’t even ask to do the quickest race lap within the closing stint.
“He simply needed to drive quietly to the end. He’s so relaxed proper now.”
Marko admits that state of affairs “will not be good for the spectator” when the race wins aren’t contested on the entrance, “however we had been superior. It’s a must to admit that,” he informed Sky Deutschland.
“I feel we solely received by 19 seconds this time,” the 80-year-old Austrian joked to ORF.
Nonetheless, Marko is enjoying down claims that Purple Bull might enhance on its 2023 report of profitable each single race of the season besides one – Singapore – this 12 months.
“It turns into way more tough at circuits the place qualifying is essential, similar to Monaco and Singapore,” he warned.
“In Saudi Arabia, Max once more owed his pole place solely to a unprecedented lap. If that doesn’t work someplace, and we aren’t in a position to begin on the entrance, then we actually could not win.”
