'7 tenths'. That term must have been music to the ears inside the Red Bull garage late on Friday, after a disastrous winter for the reigning world champions. As the scale of the crisis became clear, Red Bull threw its vast resources behind struggling engine supplier Renault in the two weeks between the Bahrain test and now.
Friday in Melbourne showed that the RB10 has made a giant step from the back of the grid towards the front, as both Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo were just 7 tenths off the leading pace in the two 90 minute sessions, and also surprisingly reliable. "That's extremely encouraging for our team," said team boss Christian Horner. "In many respects this is where we would have ideally liked to have been at our first test. Now we have some ground to make up."
World champion Vettel, having reportedly thrown a 'hissy fit' at one point during the winter, was wiping the figurative sweat from his brow in Australia. "In a way it's a relief," agreed the German in a masterstroke of understatement. "It was a huge step forward compared to two weeks ago in Bahrain. I have no doubts we will eventually be at the top -- the only question is how long it takes," Vettel added.
Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko raised hopes even higher when he said the RB10 is not even being run at its full potential in Melbourne. "We are not yet at the point where we can use the full performance of the power unit," he said. Renault chief Rob White told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport: "We are not yet where we want to be, but we've made a good step."
Marko said Red Bull has been helping Renault to improve the troublesome engine software. "We have been working in shifts and are now reaping the first fruits," he revealed. Horner said: "I think we are faster than Mercedes in the corners." Vettel explained: "I can now use full power when accelerating. There is still a power dip, but not nearly as bad as at the tests."
Daniel Ricciardo agreed that the team can be "very, very happy with what we did" on the opening day at Albert Park. "We were probably expecting to be a bit further off the pace -- there's not too many guys in front of us for now," he grinned.
Ricciardo's predecessor Mark Webber is trackside this weekend, but he has been warning consistently throughout the winter that his highly successful former team will ultimately get back on track. AAP news agency quoted him saying on Friday: "It would be a very brave man to underestimate Red Bull." (GMM)
Red Bull relieved after huge step in Australia
- Published on 14 Mar 2014 14:45
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- By: Rob Veenstra
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Circuit de Catalunya - Winter testing
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Jan 26
I. Hadjar
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Jan 27
M. Verstappen
- 1:19.578
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Jan 28
A. Antonelli
- 1:17.362
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Jan 29
G. Russell
- 1:16.445
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Jan 30
L. Hamilton
- 1:16.348
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Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
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Feb 11
L. Norris
- 1:34.669
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Feb 12
C. Leclerc
- 1:34.273
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Feb 13
A. Antonelli
- 1:33.669
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Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
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Feb 18
G. Russell
- 1:33.459
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Feb 19
A. Antonelli
- 1:32.803
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Feb 20
C. Leclerc
- 1:31.992
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
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Spain
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Bahrain
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Bahrain
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
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Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
26 - Jun 28
Austria
Red Bull Ring
3 - Jul 5
United Kingdom
Silverstone
17 - Jul 19
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
24 - Jul 26
Hungary
Hungaroring
21 - Aug 23
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
Driver profile
- Team Visa Cash App RB
- Points 1,061
- Podiums 24
- Grand Prix 188
- Country AU
- Date of b. Jul 1 1989 (37)
- Place of b. Perth, AU
- Weight 64 kg
- Length 1.75 m
- 190,935 comments on Visa Cash App RB
24 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Daniel Ricciardo
Team profile
- Team name Mercedes
- Base Brackley, Germany
- Michael Schumacher 3
- Nico Rosberg 4
- Nico Rosberg 6
- Michael Schumacher 7
- Nico Rosberg 8
- Nico Rosberg 8
- Nico Rosberg 9
- Lewis Hamilton 10
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli 12
- Lewis Hamilton 44
- George Russell 63
- Valtteri Bottas 77
- 638,728 comments on Mercedes
- 59 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about Mercedes
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