Honda no match for Mercedes power in 2020

The big difference between title contenders Mercedes and Red Bull in 2020 is engine power.

That is the claim not only of Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko, but also the F1 legend Gerhard Berger.

"The Mercedes engine is obviously extremely powerful," Berger told Servus TV.

"Mercedes worked hard through the winter. Honda too, but like every year, Mercedes has made enormous strides."

Marko, the top Austrian official at Honda-powered Red Bull, agrees.

"We are overwhelmed by the engine power of Mercedes," he admitted to Kleine Zeitung newspaper.

"We were able to keep up with the lead during the first race in Austria, but that was because it was ten degrees warmer. We didn’t stand a chance in the second race."

Marko admits the difference in engine power has caught Red Bull out.

"We have to look at that carefully," he said. "The advantage that we had at altitude is gone as well.

"This may be related to the fact that Honda is using a new turbo, but only in Budapest will we find out more. The bottom line is that the start of the season has really shaken us."

But Marko is not distraught, insisting there have been signs of true pace from the 2020 Red Bull. "Until the collision with Lewis Hamilton in the first race, Albon was much faster and would have won," he said.