Red Bull’s RB19 well suited to both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, claims team advisor

Red Bull's new RB19 has been developed to suit both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, according to the team's advisor, Dr. Helmut Marko.

Dr. Marko is a retired Austrian racing driver now plying his trade as an advisor to the Red Bull team. He is also in charge of their world-class junior drivers' program, which has given us the likes of Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo, Max Verstappen, and Carlos Sainz among others.

The RB19 broke covers at pre-season testing in Bahrain and appeared to pick up where its dominant predecessor left off after claiming 17 wins in 2022.

Max Verstappen was the fastest driver on the first day of testing. Sergio Perez was the fastest driver of the entire session with his lap of 1:30.305 on the final day, showing that both drivers appear to be comfortable in the cockpit of the RB19.

Dr. Marko explained that this was down to the team learning from last season and developing a car that could play to the strengths of both their drivers.

In an interview with Sky Sports Germany, the veteran Austrian said:

"We had a car last year that 'Checo' (Sergio Perez) did very well with at the beginning, and after it was developed further, Max (Verstappen) had been happier and happier. The difference is Max loves a strong front end, really biting. Checo is a little different. He wants a more docile car. We seem to have found a solution here now that lets both drivers play out their qualities."

Sergio Perez also lauded the team back at Milton-Keynes for the hard work that has gone into developing the RB19. He said:

"The team did an exceptional job. The factory worked really hard over the winter. We definitely have a good base car to work with. I think we have a good understanding of the new car. I think we got the maximum out of it and analyzed a lot of the set-up and tires. We basically got our program done."

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Dr. Helmut Marko pleased with Red Bull's RB19 being 'reliable' and 'fast' in pre-season testing

Red Bull team advisor Dr. Helmut Marko has admitted to being very pleased with the reigning champions' showing during pre-season testing.

However, the 79-year-old feels the team will need to fine-tune the RB19 after studying all the data from Sakhir.

During an interview with Sky Sports Germany, Dr. Marko said:

"We are very pleased with the whole three days of testing. We have really only had one problem, and that was not serious. And what is still to come now, after the data is evaluated, is then a whole fine tuning."

When asked where Red Bull stands in comparison to immediate title rivals Ferrari and Mercedes, the Austrian subtly hinted at not being too fussed by the competition. He added:

"We don't know what the competition's fuel load was like. If they were heavier than us, then our time is relative. But it showed that we are reliable and that we are fast."

With the first race of the week just around the corner, it will be interesting to see if the RB19 can get redemption for Red Bull, especially after the team suffered a double DNF right at the end of last year's race in Sakhir.