Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel, a four-time F1 world champion, "predicts a debacle for Red Bull unless they improve their car before the season opens at the Australian Grand Prix in two weeks," according to the AFP. Vettel: "First of all, just getting to the finish would be a success. If half the drivers fail to finish, then maybe we could take a few points." Red Bull Motorsports Dir Helmut Marko "echoed Vettel's concerns." Marko: "We are not where we want to be. The start of the season has come at least two months too early for us" (AFP, 3/4).
RENAULT ANXIOUS: REUTERS' Ian Ransom reported Renault has "made some progress in ironing out the engine problems that have blighted Formula One preseason testing," but will head into the season opener in Melbourne with "doubts about 'incomplete' preparations." Renault supplies champions Red Bull, Toro Rosso, Caterham and Lotus, and the "performance of their new engine disappointed at the tests in Jerez and Bahrain." Renault Sport F1 Deputy Managing Dir Rob White said in a statement, "We can't escape the fact that we did not complete the entire program with all the teams and that some Melbourne preparations are incomplete" (REUTERS, 3/3).
