F1 Gossip: Bahrain GP issue cost Verstappen up to 0.3s per lap - Marko

In a wide-ranging interview with formel1.de, Red Bull F1 consultant Helmut Marko revealed that a differential issue cost both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez three-tenths a lap in the early stages of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

“In qualifying, as you saw, a part flew off because it went too wide in one corner. That made a small difference, maybe eight percent downforce loss. So it wasn’t a huge thing,” Marko said.

“What was more serious at the beginning of the race was that there were problems in the differential area. In sector one we were drastically losing up to three-tenths per lap. The same was true for Sergio [Perez], by the way. Not only was there less grip, but the rear wheels were spinning and the tyres were getting hot.”

Marko also reiterated his opinion that Sebastian Vettel should have taken a year off rather than switched to Aston Martin.

“I’ve told you my thoughts on this before, he had to take a year off and ask himself what he wanted,” Marko added. “Then next year he might have a lot of opportunities in Formula 1. He didn’t do that.

“Now he’s in Aston Martin and they have a very similar car to Mercedes and so they are having the same problems as Mercedes too.”

Ex-F1 star Kevin Magnussen had the possibility of moving to Toro Rosso as a replacement for Pierre Gasly for the 2019 season. (Danish website BT)

Reflecting on his one-year spell with McLaren, Sergio Perez said ‘there was a lot of politics involved’ as the Mexican was ultimately dropped at the end of 2013 in favour of Kevin Magnussen. (SpeedWeek)

Former Ferrari team boss and current F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says Mick Schumacher needs time to “grow and learn”.

In an interview with F1-Insider, he said: “The pressure and expectations will be great now, but we have to give Mick time to grow and learn. He is already a great asset to Formula 1. 

His name attracts a lot of attention, and the whole series benefits from that. But at the same time, you have to give him the chance to develop in peace and go through a very normal learning curve.”

Following his accident during the Formula 2 round at Spa-Francorchamps in 2019, Juan Manuel Correa was back in action at the Formula 3 test in Austria.

Positive first test. Very decent baseline to work from, and just lovely to be behind the wheel of this beauty! Merci @ARTGP pic.twitter.com/SG0Xnvq3g3

— Juan Manuel Correa (@JMCorrea__) April 4, 2021

Rosberg X Racing - a team owned by 2016 F1 champion Nico Rosberg - dominated the inaugural round of the new off-road Extreme E series.

Drivers Molly Taylor and Johan Kristoffersson claimed the win for Rosberg X Racing in the Al-Ula desert in Saudi Arabia.