Max Verstappen backed up over damning Red Bull verdict

Juan Pablo Montoya has thrown his weight behind Max Verstappen's downbeat expectations of how Red Bull will fare in Melbourne.

The 49-year-old believes the Milton Keynes squad enters the Australian Grand Prix with the fourth-best car on the F1 grid.

That is a far cry from Red Bull's standing in the paddock just 12 months ago, when it dominated the early rounds of the campaign, much as it did throughout 2023 when it won 21 of 22 rounds.

As such, Verstappen does not see a way to claim victory at Albert Park. Whilst the threat of wet weather could play into the Dutchman's hands, he has made it clear he does not feel he can triumph as things currently stand.

Red Bull had a difficult pre-season test and expectations are relatively low heading into the first round. Reliability issues curtailed running of the RB21 and neither Verstappen nor team-mate Liam Lawson appeared wholly comfortable at the wheel of their new car.

McLaren looked strongest at the Bahrain International Circuit and there is a sense the Woking team has still not yet fully shown its hand, which Montoya pointed out.

"I agree [with Max Verstappen that Red Bull can’t win in Melbourne]," Montoya told Oddspedia. "McLaren are ahead but how far? The Ferraris are going to be quite good, and the Mercedes.

With the two lattermost teams also believed to have the early measure of Red Bull, Verstappen may need considerable good fortunate, in addition to his usual cunning and guile, to conjure a result in Australia.

"I think a lot of people were hiding their pace [in testing], not only McLaren," the seven-time grand prix winner added. "They’re still playing games at this stage.

"I do think right now Red Bull are probably the fourth team on the grid."