Red Bull still struggling in Singapore, but Marko sees hope

Dr Helmut Marko has stated that he is "very confident" Red Bull can overcome their current difficulties and regain momentum in their Formula 1 season.

After Azerbaijan, the story was that Sergio Perez was back on the pace with his updated floor design, while Max Verstappen struggled due to a setup mistake before qualifying.

But during Friday practice in Singapore, both Red Bull drivers were unhappy with the performance.

"We still lack a lot of balance," Perez admitted.

"It's quite difficult to complete a lap and it doesn't look very good at the moment. We are almost a second off the pace."

Dr Helmut Marko told Sky Deutschland, "Nothing was working on Max's car. Right now I would say the situation is very worrying. We need to try something radical."

"When I looked, we had the same pace as (Franco) Colapinto!" he remarked.

However, there is some optimism, as Verstappen still holds a 59-point lead over McLaren's Lando Norris in the drivers' championship, with a major car upgrade planned for the Austin race.

"We still need to get through Singapore," Marko told Osterreich newspaper, "but I'm very confident about Austin."

After the Azerbaijan race, Marko was quoted by Bild newspaper saying the constructors' championship, now led by McLaren, is "gone" for Red Bull in 2024.

"I wouldn't say gone," Marko clarified in Singapore, "but it will be very difficult against McLaren. They have two strong drivers and a car that works on every track."

"But I am relieved about Verstappen's lead in the drivers'. The last few races have been about damage limitation, but we don't have to panic—although some would like it if we did."

Former Red Bull driver Robert Doornbos also believes that Verstappen remains in a strong position for his fourth consecutive world title.

"Max won his championship in those first nine races," Doornbos told Ziggo Sport, adding that McLaren should therefore reconsider their current policy of favouring Lando Norris over Oscar Piastri.

"I certainly hope they won't talk about team orders anymore this season," Doornbos commented. "They have Oscar Piastri, a clear future world champion, in the car, who delivered a flawless weekend at Baku."

"I haven't seen anyone else do that this season, except Max Verstappen," he concluded.

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