Red Bull targeting Canada for major performance upgrade

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Helmut Marko hopes a major power unit upgrade scheduled by Renault for Canada will substantially boost Red Bull Racing's performance level.

The Milton Keynes outfit was viewed as Mercedes' major threat before last weekend's Australian Grand Prix, but its RB13 remained at a fair distance form frontrunners Mercedes and Ferrari.

While an engine upgrade shall be implemented by Renault in Spain, Marko is counting on a big step forward on the power unit front in Canada.

"There’s a lot of work to do," the Red Bull motorsport boss told Motorsport.com.

"The race speed makes us think positively. But from our side there is a lot to do, and Renault’s side as well.

"Montreal is their biggest step. Something smaller is coming in Barcelona, but a reasonable step in Montreal."

While Marko hopes a boosted power unit will help Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen bridge the gap with their Mercedes and Ferrari rivals, the team's RB13 would also require a substantial move forward.

In Melbourne, Marko expected the team's new-spec to be much faster compared to its 2016 version, but ultimately the RB 13 was only quicker by a couple of seconds.

"I think it was a positive race, but I was so fixed on Verstappen that I didn’t look at many other things. But we were only two seconds faster, and that was a little bit of a disappointment."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.