Red Bull expect French GP challenge from improving Mercedes

Red Bull boss Christian Horner expects Mercedes to be a threat at this weekend’s French Grand Prix.

The Brackley-based team had dominated at Paul Ricard since Formula 1’s return in 2018 before Max Verstappen snatched victory away from Lewis Hamilton in the closing laps last year.

Timed to perfection ?

A clinical overtake sealed Max Verstappen’s first victory in France ?#FrenchGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/eXNcL9k1Ri

— Formula 1 (@F1) July 18, 2022

And though Mercedes have of course been off the pace throughout 2022, Horner is sure the smooth, flat circuit will suit the ever-improving W13.

“We’ll expect them to be quick in [Paul] Ricard,” he said. “They are showing flashes of being there or thereabouts.

“The last two races have been pretty decent for them and there’s been no sign I think of any porpoising at all, so they seem to be slowly bringing themselves back into the game.”

While Mercedes are almost certainly out of this year’s championship fight, the Red Bull boss also noted the potential impact they could still have on their duel with Ferrari.

“I think they will be a contender,” Horner believes. “They keep consistently scoring points.

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“I’m not sure how far off they are in the Constructors’ or Drivers’ [championships] at the moment but sometimes having more cars in play is a good thing, sometimes it might be a bad thing.

“But I think, for the fans, it’s great to have six cars competing for victories.”

On Mercedes’ side, team boss Toto Wolff suggested there is still a gap to be closed before wins are a genuine possibility.

“When you look at the result, and motorsport is results-driven, P3 and P4 is okay,” Wolff said reflecting on Austria

“We are still lacking those two or three tenths in performance. Overall, the car was much quicker today, but not quick enough to really challenge for the front yet.”