'Ferrari will probably finish sixth or seventh in Monaco'

Rather than challenge Mercedes for victory at the Monaco Grand Prix, Ferrari's struggles might lead to them slipping back into the midfield, according to Red Bull chief Dr Helmut Marko. Ferrari's pre-season billing as favourites has all but washed away as Mercedes have run rampant in the first five races.

The Silver Arrows have secured one-two finishes at each race so far, with Ferrari and Red Bull fighting over the scraps remaining on the podium.

Mercedes were half a second quicker than their rivals in the third sector of the Circuit de Catalunya, typically an indicator of good form in Monte Carlo, while Ferrari found it particularly difficult.

"If Ferrari cannot generate downforce and traction, they'll probably only finish sixth or seventh in Monaco," Marko told Autobild.

"Their weakness was evident in the last race in Barcelona, which is most reminiscent of Monaco. Their engine is very good but they lacked downforce and extreme traction."

Although Red Bull have typically gone well in Monaco in recent years, Marko believes Mercedes will be tough to beat this time around, with Nikita Mazepin's impressive testing pace on Wednesday in Barcelona doing little to lift the Austrian's mood.

He added: "That a second-rate Formula 2 driver can set the fastest time right off the bat driving the Mercedes shows how superior Mercedes is. More superior than ever.

"What surprised me… that Mercedes did not try to play with hidden cards and did not prevent Mazepin from driving the best time, so that the superiority is only really clear.

"Although Mercedes has the longest wheelbase, their lead there will be even bigger, they're true traction monsters, that's the nuts and bolts of Monaco. We've found something, but it's not enough."

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