Karun Chandhok provides GRIM F1 outlook for Red Bull rivals

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Chandhok provides GRIM F1 outlook for Red Bull rivals

Plenty of wins on the way for Verstappen?

Oliver Wilson

Wednesday 15 March 2023 16:49

Sky Sports F1 pundit Karun Chandhok has provided a grim outlook for the remainder of the campaign.

Two-time champion Max Verstappen was in fine form when winning the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, beating team-mate Sergio Perez by 12 seconds.

Red Bull's domination in Bahrain was underlined by the 38-second gap between Verstappen and Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso, leading to fears of a processional championship.

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Speaking to GPFans at the premiere of Sky's new documentary, Villeneuve Pironi: Racing's Untold Tragedy, when asked for his predictions for the season going forward, former F1 driver Chandhok replied: "Max Verstappen wins a lot."

F1 must 'hope' for rival revival

Ferrari struggled in Bahrain, with the pace of the SF-23 way behind the RB19 even before Charles Leclerc was forced to retire with a power unit failure.

Mercedes, meanwhile, showed no performance with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finishing only fifth and seventh.

Asked whether Red Bull's rivals had what it takes to reel the sizable margin in across the next few races, Chandhok said: "We all have to hope so.

"Nobody wants to see one car or one team dominate.

"The circuit did suit Red Bull, it ticked a lot of their boxes, a lot of their strengths with the way the tyres worked, the surface worked and a lot of that.

"But it will take a lot of hard work at Ferrari and Mercedes in particular, and at McLaren who, by their own admission, underdelivered."