Red Bull arrived on the first date of the Formula 1 season as one of the talented candidates, where Max Verstappen was very well drafted to defend the title he won last year in a spectacular final that was controversial in Abu Dhabi. However, the Austrian team had a different start to the championship than expected: three retirements in the first three races, two by the Dutchman himself, due to the lack of reliability of the new RB18, which was dazzled by pre-season training. And the frustration began to grow. But engineers seem to have identified the problem and Helmut Markothe team advisor, confirmed that it would be resolved for Emilia Romagna Grand Prix which will take place this weekend in Imola.

“The problem is not with the power unit, but with the fuel supply. The fuel line burst under high pressure. We think that’s because of pouringMarco’s announcement.

In other words, that bounce that single-seaters are suffering at high speeds on the straight due to the return of the ground effect, and that many teams are still unresolved, caused a vacuum in the fuel system, which prevent fuel from reaching the engine. .

“Honda told us we can expect the problem to be fixed before the next race”added Marko, who is excited about the chance that the Red Bulls could be the protagonist this weekend on the Italian circuit.

On the first date, in Bahrain, Verstappen left with three laps left and his partner, Sergio Perezat the beginning of the last turn. “What’s in the battery, what is it … ?? !!”desperate question of the Dutchman, while heading into the pits with a vehicle that barely works. “I got to the hairpin and the machine stopped”narrated by the Mexican shortly after his retirement.

At that moment, Christian Horner He made sure the problem was the fuel system, but they didn’t know exactly what had happened. “We have to separate it to understand what happened,” the Red Bull boss said.

A week later, in Saudi Arabia, Mad Max got his first victory and Checo finished fourth; although the joy in the Austrian team’s box did not last long.

At the third Grand Prix on the calendar, in Melbourne, Verstappen’s car failed again 20 laps from the end -he even suffered a small fire due to a gas leak when the driver got off- and the champion saw how Charles Leclerc crossed the finish line first with his Ferrari, repeated the victory in Bahrain, and combined his advantage with the championship tip.

“I don’t have speed, and I’m just trying to manage the wheels to try and get to the finish because it still seems easy to be second. And I know I can’t fight Charles, so it’s pointless to try to pressure on him. But it’s not at least we finished the career. career. It’s quite frustrating and unacceptable. “Dutchman’s comment, obviously angry.

After that last race, Leclerc led the championship with 71 points and a car that didn’t seem to have any weak points. He was accompanied by George Russell (Mercedes) and his partner Carlos Sainz. Pérez -second in the Australian event- was fourth, with 33 units, and Verstappen, sixth (behind Lewis Hamilton) with the 25 he covered in Saudi Arabia.

And although it was just the start of the season, for the Dutchman the goal of defending the title was — or at least, at the time — a utopia. “ATWe’re miles away so I don’t want to think about the championship fight first now, I think it’s more important to finish the races. Because today is generally another bad day, again, ”he reviews after passing through Melbourne.

The champion’s failure caused alarm within Red Bull.

“After retiring to Australia, he went back to the box and we talked everything calmly. But if we don’t start winning soon, Max will be a time bomb. “assurance of Marko, who is well aware of his driver’s temperament and ultra-competitive personality.

“He went over the limit, he wanted too much. That didn’t work in Australia in the last sector. We thought having a championship title would have a little bit of peace of mind on his part, but he probably needed another title. To avoid entering the classification with excessive pressure “checked.

In his words and demeanor, Verstappen made it clear that he wanted — he needed — a reliable, fast car worthy of a champion, which puts him on an equal footing with Ferraris, great dominators at the start of the season. championship, to try. to defend the crown.

At Red Bull they hope that, once the fuel system problem is identified, the RB18s will start performing on the track to avoid short circuits within the team, keep Mad Max happy and be able to fight for victories from now on. Will they get it in Imola?