Davidson names Verstappen's Red Bull as Mercedes' 'biggest threat' after Antonelli tops FP3
· Yahoo Sports
Anthony Davidson believes Red Bull is turning into the biggest threat to Mercedes. He said so after Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar finished second and third behind Kimi Antonelli in final practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
The former F1 driver gave his verdict on Sky Sports F1 commentary after the session at Sepang. Davidson said Mercedes' advantage was shrinking quickly and that the RB22 was emerging as its closest competitor.
Visit milkshakeslot.lat for more information.
Red Bull would have hoped to be closer to the Mercedes, but they are there or thereabouts once again. They're quickly becoming the team that's the biggest threat to Mercedes on any given weekend.
Mercedes back on top, but Red Bull within three tenths
Antonelli set a 1:36.302 to lead FP3, while Verstappen was 0.278s behind, and Hadjar was third. George Russell finished fourth in the other Mercedes, 0.610s off the pace.
The lap marked a turnaround for the championship leader. Mercedes had been well adrift after Friday, when neither driver completed a competitive lap and both struggled badly with degradation on their long runs. Antonelli's best lap in FP3 was more than 1.2s quicker than Friday's fastest time.
Red Bull's speed was nothing new by Saturday. Verstappen topped FP1, and GPblog's FP3 report, Mercedes response as Antonelli tops final practice ahead of Sepang qualifying, noted that he skipped a soft-tyre qualifying simulation in FP2. GPblog also reported that Hadjar carries a five-place grid penalty into qualifying, which leaves more of the weight on Verstappen.
The only top-four team still waiting for a win
Davidson's verdict stands out because of Red Bull's results so far. The team is fourth in the constructors' standings and is the only one of the top four yet to win a race this season.
Team principal Laurent Mekies has said repeatedly that Red Bull wants to fight for wins on merit for the rest of the campaign, rather than relying on others' misfortune.
In Sepang, Mekies was more cautious about the pecking order, saying the four leading teams were all close: "Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull are all there."
Pundit and paddock agree on Verstappen
Drivers in the paddock had already pointed to Red Bull on Friday. GPblog reported that Russell named Verstappen and McLaren as clear Bahrain GP pace-setters, and that Charles Leclerc said Red Bull was standing out this weekend.
Davidson's view goes further as he sees Red Bull not just as fast at one track, but as the team now closing the gap to Mercedes from weekend to weekend.
Qualifying at Sepang is the first real test of that claim. If Verstappen can turn the RB22's pace into pole position, Red Bull would have the best possible chance yet to end its winless run.