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Marko: Red Bull crisis ain't over

SAKHIR, Bahrain - After the dizzying heights of utter domination through the 2014 Formula 1 season Red Bull is in a deep crisis just two weeks before the 2014 opener.

Not only has the new RB10 struggled merely for laps amid engine supplier Renault's obvious problems but the Adrian Newey-penned car has also been slow.

In an analysis, Speed Week found that if the times in Bahrain testing in February 2014 week were for  qualifying in Melbourne neither Sebastian Vettel nor Daniel Ricciardo would have met the "107% rule" for pre-qualifying.

ONLY FOUR DAYS LEFT

Red Bull's Helmut Marko admitted to Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper: "We are in complex difficulties. We can solve them only in conjunction with Renault. Unfortunately, we are going from problem to problem and are clearly behind schedule."

The reigning F1 champion team has only four more official 2014 test days, in Bahrain from February 27, to prepare for the Melbourne season opener in March. Asked if the problems could be solved by then, Marko answered: "That is open and cannot be predicted. We will have developments in Bahrain for the third test but, as I said, everything is very complex."

Marko said it was not the first time Red Bull had headed into a season without completing a lap with its new car. "Yes, we've had that once, but I repeat: we cannot hang our heads.

"We need to look and think ahead."

Stay with Wheels24 for the 2014 F1 season – fresh reports every day.
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