Red Bull director Helmut Marko has refused to be drawn on rumours that the reigning F1 world champions have a major upgrade in the pipeline.
The Bulls dominated the first race of the season in Bahrain, with Max Verstappen taking pole position before leading home Sergio Perez in a 1-2.
And in an ominous sign for the paddock, there’s already talk that they’re plotting to make big improvements to their car for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
F1 will roll into Imola in May for the first European race of the season after stopping off in Saudi Arabia, Australia, Japan, China and Miami.
Red Bull’s rivals looked like they could compete with the Milton Keynes outfit over one lap, with the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc finishing just two-tenths adrift of Verstappen.
Mercedes driver George Russell and Leclerc’s teammate Carlos Sainz also beat the sister Red Bull of Perez.
However, the RB20 flexed its muscles in the race as Verstappen finished a full 25 seconds clear of third-place Sainz.
Helmut Marko responds to Red Bull upgrade rumours
According to German publication Auto Motor und Sport, there are some in the paddock who believe that Red Bull will roll out an even faster version of the RB20 in Imola.
They’re expected to take a sizeable step forward based on the initial projections.
When asked about the rumours, Marko simply grinned and replied: “Let’s see.”
Red Bull rivals already playing catch-up
Red Bull are coming off the back of the most dominant season in F1 history, having won all but one race in 2023.
Sainz, who took the chequered flag in Singapore, was the only other driver to taste victory.
The Spaniard says Ferrari have improved their car’s performance in dirty air, allowing him to be more aggressive.
But it remains to be seen whether the Scuderia can keep pace with the development of F1’s pace-setters.
Mercedes appear to be the third-fastest team right now and are nursing some early issues with their car.
Both drivers had to manage overheating during the race in Bahrain, which contributed to their disappointing showing.
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