Max Verstappen had a difficult qualifying session in Bahrain. Red Bull Racing's top advisor, Helmut Marko is not exactly sure where the Dutchman's issues came from, as the team are looking for an explanation.
While finishing in P7 was rather disappointing for Verstappen, on the other hand, his teammate qualified for Q3 for the first time this season.
Marko was marked Tsunoda's result to be a positive one. "Let's start with the positive: Yuki made it into the top 10," the Austrian began to Sky Sports Germany.
On the other side of the garage, the mood is different about Verstappen's result. "We were not satisfied with Max. We had huge brake problems in Q3. We don't have an explanation for that yet," stated the Austrian, underlining that they are looking to find a solution.
"First, we need to identify the cause." However, the team yet to find out anything concrete, and Marko is also unsure whether they can make certain changes. "Then we have to consult with the FIA to see if, for example, it is allowed to replace the brake pads. But first, we have to figure out what the problem is."
Marko expects a tough Bahrain GP for Red Bull
While Marko knows what Verstappen is capable of, he does not expect an easy race for the Dutchman. "It will certainly be difficult. We never expected the conditions, with [Lando] Norris beside him, or [Pierre] Gasly ahead of us. The Mercedes cars are very, very fast. It will be an interesting race."
In the end, Gasly will not be the driver directly in front of Verstappen. The Frenchman, similarly to Charles Leclerc, will move up a position on the grid, after the two Mercedes drivers received a one-place grid penalty by the stewards for not following the race director's instructions.
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