Max Verstappen is hoping upgrades from Red Bull & Honda can bring the team into contention for wins by mid-season.
The Dutchman has capitalised on Ferrari's issues at the opening three races to sit third in the Drivers' Championship with a third and two fourth places to his name.
However, his car has rarely looked a threat for Mercedes or the Scuderia in raw pace but that could change as the development race begins in earnest during the European season.
“Hopefully halfway through the season, we won’t have to say we can only fight on circuits without straights, Verstappen told Motorsport.com.
“We are still losing time on the straights, that’s a fact. Especially compared to Ferrari. They found something this year but nobody knows how.
"They have done their homework and we have to make sure we get closer with the chassis and the engine."
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What the first results of 2019 have done though, is avoid the worst-case scenarios that some were predicting for Red Bull's partnership with Honda.
“In general we can be satisfied with our start,” Verstappen stated. “I think no one expected we would compete for wins right away.
“I am very satisfied with Honda, power can always be better, but they know that too. We cannot complain, and the car itself can also be improved enough.
"We have to find even more downforce and look for a constant balance in the competition.
"We just have to maximize what we have now, and we have done an excellent job so far," he concluded.
