Red Bull team principal and CEO Laurent Mekies summed up the RB22’s competitiveness at the end of the two Bahrain testing sessions.”The mileage we’ve completed across the nine days of shakedowns and testing is respectable”- Laurent MekiesMekies pinpoints key positive from new engine after Bahrain running
While almost all teams steered clear of chasing outright performance, mileage was one of the most striking aspects across the six days of testing held between 11 and 20 February.
There was also significant anticipation surrounding the debut of the new Red Bull Ford power unit, which showed strong reliability from the outset. The DM01 ranked as the second-highest engine in terms of average laps completed among suppliers, with 368 laps — just 20 fewer than Mercedes, which, however, supplies two additional teams.
“After two weeks of testing in Bahrain, we should be proud of what we’ve achieved up against the established power unit manufacturers,” Mekies commented.
“The mileage we’ve completed across the nine days of shakedowns and testing is respectable. As I’ve said before, this is truly remarkable and a testament to all the hours of hard work put in by those back in the factory.”
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Shifting the focus to performance, the Frenchman believes a clear picture will only emerge in Melbourne, adding that there is still plenty of work to be done to be fully ready for the opening race of the season.
“Even with all our technology and simulation tools, everyone will only start to get a partial idea of the pecking order down the pit lane after Saturday’s qualifying session in Albert Park.
“Next, we go racing. We know we have a lot of very hard work ahead of us to be at the level we want to be. That’s our next mountain to climb, and all of us will be climbing it together as one team.”
Verstappen praises Red Bull progress but warns ‘work to do’ before Melbourne
The Dutchman looked back on the final winter test in Bahrain, with optimism inside the Red Bull camp after a smooth introduction for the new power unit, although he stressed that significant work still lies ahead.
The Dutchman described the week as a positive starting point, explaining that he was able to complete the planned programme in full, allowing the team to gather a large amount of data to analyse. He added that preparations heading into the Bahrain test had been as strong as possible, praising the team for the work done to reach their current position.