Red Bull pointed to McLaren's "ballistic" straight-line speed in response to recent claims of a Honda engine update.
With Lando Norris, the Woking-based team claimed their first front row start since Brazil 2012 in qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix, just 0.048s off the pole time set by Max Verstappen.
And the foundation for that impressive performance was a notable advantage in the first half of the lap, where all the straights are.
"It was mighty close with the McLaren," team boss Christian Horner told Sky Sports.
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"That McLaren, any comments about the Mercedes engine... it is certainly going well in the back of the McLaren because they are ballistic in straight-line speed.
"I am sure they are going to be a factor tomorrow but to have both cars ahead of the Mercedes here is a phenomenal starting position."
Since Honda introduced their second engine of the season at the French Grand Prix, Red Bull have been enjoying a notable edge over Mercedes on the straights.
While Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff have been using the word "upgrade", a skinnier rear wing and a new oil have both been given as reasons for the rumoured 15 horsepower boost.
However, earlier in the weekend in Austria, Honda technical director Toyoharu Tanabe denied there had been any power improvement with the second power unit.
“I’m very happy if it is true, but it’s not true,” he said. “Under the current regulations, any performance update is not allowed during the season.
“As a result, our second power unit is the same as the first PU in terms of specification and performance.”
But Tanabe did agree it is possible some gains have been made from better optimising the engine settings.
“I can say yes because we started using this 2021 new power unit from the pre-season test, and then we have been gradually learning how to use it,” he said.
“We improved our weaknesses, and then we pushed our strengths. As a result, the base specification of the performance is the same but the trackside performance I believe we have been improving.
“[Once] we understand our PU, ICE and ERS system, we go to a different track every time, so we simulate how to use the balance for ICE and electronic systems,” he added. “So then we optimise the usage of the PU in terms of lap time."
Of course, 2021 is officially Honda's final year in F1 before Red Bull takes over with their new Powertrains division at Milton Keynes.
Although, it was confirmed that for next year, engines will continue to be produced at the Japanese manufacturer's current factory in Sakura as part of the transition period.
Even so, Horner admits losing the Honda name from the sport next year is still disappointing.
"It will be tremendously sad to see them leave at the end of the year," he said.
"They have been a great partner for us to work with, they have been supportive as they have set up our Red Bull Powertrains.
"We have obviously utilised their technology moving forwards but it has been a great relationship and we will be sad to see them leave F1. I think it will be a loss for F1 at the end of the year."
