Red Bull off to a flying start to F1 2021

  Follow Us:        By: Charles Bradley, Global Editor in Chief [Motorsport.com]( I’ve often lamented Red Bull’s slow starts in testing as the main reason that it hasn’t been able to challenge Mercedes as effectively as it should in recent years, but that seemed to change at the weekend. Red Bull – perhaps aided by the carryover of its chassis that ended last year so strongly? – came flying out of the blocks and, in a reversal of fortune, it is Mercedes that has made a stuttering start to its campaign. It’s not so much the laptimes that I base this opinion on, but the number of laps completed and incident-free running that has tilted the balance in Red Bull’s favour. Apart from an early half-spin for Max Verstappen, and Sergio Perez losing his engine cover after pulling out to pass a car, Red Bull’s running was pretty flawless, while Mercedes struggled with gearbox issues and the drivers toiled with a lack of stability at the rear end. Of course, those issues are solvable given time, but to have Merc apparently starting the season on the back foot is perhaps the refreshing change that F1 needed. Editor's Choice [Mercedes: Data shows we’re not as quick as Red Bull]( Mercedes says it has its "work cut out" for the new Formula 1 season after its testing data showed it is not as quick as Red Bull over race runs.  [Read More](  [Revealed: The secrets of Red Bull's RB16B F1 car](  [Read More]( [The mysterious gun helping teams master F1’s 2021 tyres](  [Read More]( [Hamilton pays tribute to Walker: "No one can come close"](  [Read More]( [Raikkonen explains run-in with "pissed off" Sainz in Bahrain](  [Read Now](   MOTORSPORT JOBS [Job of the Week: Red Bull Powertrains - Leadership Roles](  [Learn More](        Follow Us:    Received this email from a friend? Sign up to receive the INSIDER Newsletter from Motorsport.com which includes the latest news and inside views, direct from the experts. [Subscribe](                                 Copyright © 2021 Motorsport.com, All rights reserved. This email was sent to {EMAIL} by Motorsport.com. Our Mailing Address is:Motorsport.com5972 N.E. 4th Ave. Miami, FL 33137, United States Want to change how you recieve these emails? [Manage Preferences]( [Unsubscribe](   Part of [Motorsport Network](