Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has sent out a warning shot to the Formula 1 drivers on the energy drink giant’s books, saying that they they will be dropped if they do not deliver in 2016.
Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat were evenly matched at Red Bull throughout 2015, but both are thought to be under pressure with up-and-coming racers Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz Jr. both impressing at junior team Toro Rosso.
Verstappen, 18, had a particularly impressive debut season in F1, leading to speculation about a move up the grid to either Red Bull or potentially away from the team’s setup.
“We basically have long-term contracts at the Red Bull junior program and the whole program is based on performance,” Marko said.
“So no shoot-out, but be very clear: the one who is not delivering goes.”
Marko expects Toro Rosso to outperform the senior Red Bull team for the first half of the season by virtue of its 2015-spec Ferrari power unit.
Red Bull will race with a rebranded Renault power unit in 2016, which is still thought to be down on power compared to the old Ferrari engine for the start of the year.
“I could imagine that they will land in front of Red Bull Racing at the start of the season – probably until midseason – because the power difference is still that significant,” Marko said.
“In midseason probably the performance will drop, as you cannot further develop the 2015 engine.”
Three riders remain locked in a tight battle with 17 points separating the leader Cooper Webb from third-place Chase Sexton and these are only a few Supercross numbers to consider entering Seattle.Chase Sexton made a statement in Detroit with his second win of 2023. – Feld Motor Sports
Webb and Tomac won the last four championships with two apiece in alternating years, but they were not one another’s primary rival for most of those seasons. On the average, however, the past four years show an incredible similarity with average points earned of 21.0 for Webb and 21.3 for Tomac. With five wins so far this season, Tomac (23 wins) leads Webb (19) in victories but Webb (43) edges Tomac (41) in podium finishes during this span.
Tomac has won two of the last three Seattle races and those two wins in this stadium are topped only by James Stewart. Fittingly, if Tomac gets a third win this week, he will tie Stewart for second on the all-time wins’ list. Tomac tied Ricky Carmichael for third with 48 wins at Oakland and took sole possession of that spot with his Daytona win.
Sexton still has a lot to say and after winning last week in Detroit, he is speaking up. The Supercross numbers are against him entering Seattle, however, because a points’ deficit this large after Round 10 has been erased only once. In 1983 David Bailey was 47 points behind Bob Hannah, and like Sexton he was also in third place. Bailey took the points’ lead with one race remaining.
The seven points Sexton was penalized last week for jumping in a red cross flag section in Detroit could prove extremely costly.
In fact, it has been a series of mistakes that has cost Sexton the most. In the last two weeks, he lost 10 points with a 10th-place finish to go with his penalty. Erase those, and all three riders hold their fate in their hands.
Plessinger’s heartbreak in Detroit is still fresh, but the upside of his run is that was his best of the season and could turn his fortunes around. Prior to that race, he led only seven laps in three mains. He was up front for 20 laps in Detroit with five of those being the fastest on the track.
Last week’s win by Hunter Lawrence tied him with his brother Jett Lawrence for 17th on the all-time wins’ list. With the focus shifting to 250 West for the next two rounds, Jett has a great opportunity to pull back ahead. The real test will be at the first East / West Showdown in East Rutherford, New Jersey on April 22.
Last Five Seattle Winners
450s 2022: Eli Tomac
2019: Marvin Musquin
2018: Eli Tomac
2017: Marvin Musquin
2014: Ryan Villopoto
