Helmut Marko believes that Red Bull's rivals were able to edge closer in the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix due to the team not performing "as they should have". Max Verstappen claimed his sixth win of the 2023 F1 season at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, finishing nine seconds ahead of Fernando Alonso in P2 and 14 seconds in front of third-placed Lewis Hamilton. With the deficit behind Verstappen having been larger on previous occasions, Marko was asked whether he feels that the gap is getting closer between Red Bull and their competitors. "Yes, it did come closer here," Marko told the F1 Nation podcast. "But we didn't perform as we should have. We couldn't bring the tyres [to] temperature, especially the Hard tyre. We couldn't get the right temperature."
How Red Bull's rivals edged closer
The RB19 has looked to have a strong edge over the rest of the field so far in 2023, but Marko feels that the struggles of the team's rivals have further flattered them. "Everybody thinks the Red Bull is a fantastic [car]," the team advisor added. "Yes, it's a good car. But Ferrari and also Mercedes, they didn't improve from last year. I think they reversed in the beginning of the season. "So when we are not at our best, they are nearer, that's as easy as that."
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