Verstappen is cautious: 'On other circuits we will be weaker'

After a dominant victory in Bahrain, it looks like Red Bull Racing has things back in order. Yet a lot is still uncertain ahead of the rest of the season. Max Verstappen thinks the competition will definitely get even closer, but he says there is also a lot to learn about the RB20.

22.457 seconds. That is no less than the margin by which Max Verstappen managed to win the Bahrain Grand Prix. If this lead is a harbinger for the rest of the season, the competition can pack their bags in advance, so to speak.

How close is the competition to Red Bull Racing?

Yet the difference in Bahrain between Red Bull and the rest of the field during qualifying was a lot smaller. Verstappen expects this difference to be even smaller at other circuits. ''I also know last year this was a very strong track for us. There will be tracks where probably we will be a bit weaker. And in general, I think over one lap, it's a lot closer. So there will be tracks that maybe you have to start a bit further back, and that compromises your race naturally anyway''.

Ferrari team prinncipal Frederic Vasseur has indicated that Red Bull's lead is not that great at all and that with some developments Ferrari might be able to compete with Red Bull. Max Verstappen does take Vasseur out of this illusion a little bit by telling F1TV: ''There's a lot more to learn, for sure. I mean, it's natural for everyone. Also today in the race with the tyres, like how they are behaving. For sure we'll look into detail. You know what we can try and improve''.