Red Bull chief ‘completely convinced’ Mercedes will find form in 2022 Formula 1 season

Red Bull and Ferrari have been streaks ahead of Mercedes in the first two races of the season

Mercedes will be battling for victories again once they fix their early season problems, according to Red Bull chief Helmut Marko.

The team who managed seven Drivers’ Championship triumphs in a row between 2014 and 2020 have only secured one podium finish in the first two races and are clearly off the pace of Ferrari and Red Bull.

The new regulations have seen Lewis Hamilton and new Mercedes teammate George Russell struggling with ‘porpoising’, which relates to the car bouncing up and down on the track.

But Marko remains sure that the reigning constructors champions will find a way to challenge for wins as the season goes on.

Formel1.de asked Marko whether Mercedes’ recent decline mirrors Red Bull’s after they won four drivers’ titles in a row between 2010 and 2013, to which he responded: “You have to distinguish between the two cases.

“The post-2013 era coincided with the new engine rules and Mercedes had incredible dominance at that stage. They were up to two seconds ahead of everyone, but logically they didn’t show it.

“Now, with the change of chassis and engine, the differences are not so big. Mercedes can no longer click and suddenly it’s a party for them. But the team are very well positioned and also have some really important people in the chassis area.

“I’m completely convinced they will come back if they control the porpoising. And Lewis Hamilton is nine points behind [Max] Verstappen, so that’s nothing either.

“I don’t think it’s the end [of an era], but maybe we’ll have a battle on the same level.”

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc won the Bahrain Grand Prix, before Red Bull’s Verstappen claimed victory at the Saudi Arabia GP last time out.

After two races, Leclerc leads the drivers’ standings with 45 points, ahead of teammate Carlos Sainz on 33 and Verstappen on 25.