Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff does think Red Bull will challenge for the 2019 Formula 1 title after their performance in Australia.
Though Pierre Gasly could only recover to P11 from P17 on the grid, Max Verstappen took the fight to the top two and would finish third in the team’s first race with Honda.
And having seen how the Japanese engine stacks up, the Austrian talked up the threat Red Bull now pose.
“Honda has certainly made a huge step forward,” Wolff told Formula1.com. “If you look at the speed trace it looks a very different Red Bull than before.
“They are very fast on the straights and that is good to see because we want them in the mix and to have a great fight.
“I’m really happy for Honda. It’s their first podium since their return [to F1 in 2015] and they deserve it. They went through some really tough times. Seeing the Honda on the podium and seeing how happy the guys are is great.”
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While fresher tyres and a more powerful DRS helped, the Mercedes chief also noted how Verstappen was able to breeze past Sebastian Vettel for the final podium place.
“They were very strong,” Wolff explained. “You saw how they have eaten up Sebastian into Turn 3, the power was enormous.
“The combination with Red Bull will become a threat and based on the level of performance, you must certainly have them in the calculation for the championship.”
Interestingly, after months of hyping up the new partnership, team boss Christian Horner struck a more cautious tone when making predictions.
“I think it’s too early to talk about championships, but certainly to be on the podium is a great moment for Honda,” he was quoted by ESPN.
“We’re very proud of that achievement and grateful for the product they’ve given us. Hopefully, it’s a starting point for a strong season.
“We want to close the gap to Mercedes and Ferrari [and] we’ve done that. It’s only one race but we have a good start. We have to build on this positive energy.”
