Credits: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire

Red Bull had the perfect return to the Japanese Grand Prix after they bagged yet another perfect result with a 1-2 finish on Sunday. This is the third 1-2 finish for the Milton Keynes outfit this season. Despite that, Helmut Marko believes that the team didn’t have the perfect result because of a huge factor.

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“Only in the race were we right back. That was partly due to the changes in qualifying and partly due to the higher temperatures, which traditionally favor Red Bull Racing,” Marko said as per GPBlog. “The reason why we were not at our best with the set-up was probably the major technical update we applied in Japan.”

Marko further adds that since FP2 was virtually canceled, Red Bull’s woes just got worse. However, in Japan, the reigning world champions had brought their first upgrade of the season. And they surely had an edge over the others.

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Never in the race, it felt that Red Bull would see any problem from Ferrari or McLaren. The win also gave Max Verstappen a 13-point lead in the table. Meanwhile, Sergio Perez, who is fighting for his seat this year, bypassed Charles Leclerc in the standings with an 18-point haul compared to the latter’s 12 points.

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However, the next two best teams predicted that this would be the result in Japan. Ferrari and McLaren openly admit that Red Bull certainly has an edge. But at the same time, there is a shared sentiment that this edge could be leveled. Therefore, giving fans hope for the season ahead.

Red Bull rivals have scheduled their upgrades

While Red Bull has brought their upgrades, McLaren boss Andrea Stella told Tom Clarkson on Sunday that McLaren would present their first upgrade in Miami. Though, it would be more in line to level themselves against Ferrari.

On the other hand, the Tifosi are ready to wait for a while. The Italian team reportedly will instill some new developments before Imola, one of their home races this season. Sainz told the media that there will be tracks where Red Bull and Ferrari would be at par. But he fears that it could be too late then.

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Even Verstappen isn’t behind in showing his team’s caliber. The Dutchman spoke about possible hurdles Red Bull could face ahead. For him, the team could struggle in street tracks with slow-speed corners, and in a forever closing field, this is a concern for him.

But considering the calendar holistically, Verstappen is the favorite to clinch his fourth title. However, more challenging races for the Red Bull star would be highly desirable for the fans. Now, it remains to be seen how the next best teams catch up.