MELBOURNE: Red Bull have admitted they’re wary of a renewed challenge from their rivals as Sebastian Vettel unleashes his bid for a historic hat-trick of Formula One titles at this week’s Australian Grand Prix.
Team chief Christian Horner said Red Bull, who have dominated the past two seasons but may be disadvantaged by a key rule-change, were keen to find out the “pecking order” as the season starts in Melbourne.
“We’ve managed to tick most of the boxes that we wanted,” Horner said.
“Of course you never know what your opponents are up to and there’s quite a bit of gamesmanship that goes on at this time of year. “But we’ll soon know… where the pecking order is.”
Pre-season testing in Europe, as well as exposing Ferrari’s frailties, has indicated greater competitiveness from McLaren, Renault and Mercedes, prompting observers to predict a much tighter series than last year’s Red Bull parade.
In 2011, Vettel swept to 11 wins in 19 races plus 15 pole positions, as he became Formula One’s youngest back-to-back champion and Red Bull locked up the drivers’ and constructors’ titles with three Grands Prix to spare.
Now the 24-year-old German stands on the threshold of joining the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher as only the third driver to win three or more championships in a row.
Red Bull’s success has been driven by their technical innovations but along with other teams they will have to operate without their pioneering, but now banned, “blown diffuser” which used exhaust fumes to create greater downforce.
McLaren chief Martin Whitmarsh set the tone this week when he said although his team, spearheaded by British ex-champions Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton, did not look dominant, neither did any of the others.
Whitmarsh added he was sure Hamilton would bounce back from a roller-coaster 2011, which was blighted by personal problems including a split from his pop-star girlfriend.
Hamilton also refused to bite after Horner suggested that his team-mate Button, considered the slower of the two drivers, would be Vettel’s main rival this season.
“It’s the first time I’ve heard of (Horner’s remarks) but they definitely don’t wind me up,” the 2007 champion said.
Vettel, Button, Hamilton and Alonso are among six Formula One champions lining up this year, along with Mercedes’ Schumacher and Finland’s Kimi Raikkonen, who is returning to the sport with Lotus-Renault. Vettel’s team-mate Mark Webber, who has added Australian markings to his helmet, admitted he is super-motivated for Melbourne after never placing higher than fifth at his home race. (Agencies)