Marko: "P3 the best Red Bull can achieve with Renault"

Red Bull F1 consultant, Helmut Marko, believes that the best that Red Bull can achieve this season is third place with their current Renault engines. Their engine is by wide consesus the third best engine on the grid, estimated to be some 30HP behind the likes of the Ferrari and Mercedes engines, but some way clear of the Honda engine.

Its this deficit to the top two engines that is believed to be preventing Red Bull from really racing on par with the top two teams, despite possibly the best chassis around, and is definitely further behind the top two on the more power based circuits such as Canada or the upcoming races at Spa and Monza.

The team has won one race, in the chaotic Azerbaijan Grand Prix where Daniel Ricciardo took advantage of all the top four cars plus his teammate having issues in that race, and the Australian is in fact still ahead of Kimi Raikkonen in the standings, but it is clear that these two facts are more by circumstance and luck, than a real reflection of the teams pace.

Red Bull and Renault have had a somewhat tumultuous relationship in recent years, especially since winning the last of their championships in 2013. they have even ran without the Renault name in recent years, branding their engine a Tag-Heuer. Marko said on their recent performance: "It is not good enough for Red Bull, but in our position with the engine, it’s the best we can get.”

Sam Gale