F1 driver amazed by Red Bull struggles: 'It has been surprising'

Pierre Gasly has admitted he is surprised by Red Bull’s challenging start to the new season under the new technical regulations.

During the pre-season period, Red Bull was tipped as a front-running contender despite entering with its own power unit for the first time in collaboration with Ford.

However, once the campaign got underway, it quickly became apparent that the team was not part of the group fighting for victories.

With four rounds completed, Red Bull is yet to score a podium, and its lacklustre form has not gone unnoticed by former driver Gasly.

“After Bahrain, I was sure that they were part of the top four battles,” Gasly told media including RacingNews365.

“Looking at Australia, they looked pretty strong there. I think they hit the ground in a very good way. 

“But for whatever reason, after that, it was a lot more difficult. It's been quite surprising.”

Red Bull’s upgrades in Miami earlier this month marked an improvement for the car, as Max Verstappen secured a season-best fifth-place finish.

However, team-mate Isack Hadjar crashed out early in the grand prix, leaving him with just one top 10 result from the opening four rounds.

Despite the difficult run, Hadjar remains confident he can return to form when the sport resumes in Canada next weekend.

“We both, the team and I, made mistakes this weekend,” Hadjar said. “It's been, honestly, a bit of a disaster from both our sides. 

“We need to stick together and see what we can do the next weekend.

"Obviously, we're happy there's more performance in the car. It's not such a pain now to make it to Q3, which it was the first few rounds. 

“So, yes, let's just look at the positives and we come back in Canada and hopefully we do a strong one."