Helmut Marko: We just have a slow car.

      Last year, Red Bull Racing was among the first to complain to McLaren about the flexibility of the wings. The FIA took note of this and forced the teams to minimize the flexibility of the rear wings first, and in Barcelona and the front. But it didn't help Red Bull.

      Helmut Marko, a consultant for Red Bull, admitted in the SportTalk program on Servus TV that hopes of catching up with the leaders due to the technical directive did not materialize.

      Helmut Marko: "The weekend in Barcelona brought us back to reality. We hoped that the new rules would change the situation, but that didn't happen. Actually, we just have a slow car. In Barcelona, we lost by the same three tenths as at the beginning of the season. Perhaps this means that McLaren is progressing faster than us.

      We were confident that we would be able to compete on equal terms in Barcelona. But it was a sobering weekend for Max and for all of us – we saw once again that we were seriously outclassed at McLaren.

      I would like to believe that with cooler weather, for example in Canada, we will be more competitive. But what used to be successful doesn't work anymore. Previously, hotter weather suited us, but now, in hot conditions, our tires are wearing out a lot.

      I do not know how McLaren manages this, but their tires stay efficient longer and wear out less. Unfortunately, there are practically no high-speed turns in Canada. But maybe we can adjust the car so that it's in the right range.

      The Russell situation? George braked too late, his car slid and Max pulled away. The rules clearly state that in such a situation, you are not obligated to return the position. But we had a discussion about getting her back. Max said no. And then we said, "No, you have to return it, otherwise the risk of a fine is too great."

      The telemetry showed that Max had taken his foot off the gas pedal. We all thought he was missing Russell, but he suddenly accelerated again. I do not know what kind of mistake it was, what was going on in his head, but you saw what happened next."