• Bahrain Grand Prix

Heidfeld singles out Red Bull

ESPNF1 Staff
March 10, 2010 « France not hopeful of 2011 grand prix | »
Nick Heidfeld: 'The Red Bull is clearly the best car' © Getty Images
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Mercedes' test driver Nick Heidfeld has continued the recent trend of drivers downplaying their own team's hopes of success by stating Red Bull has the best car.

In the approach to the Bahrain Grand Prix, it has emerged that mere tenths separate the pace of the top four challengers also including Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes. It is believed at the bottom of this pecking order at present is Mercedes, who intend to debut what the German press is calling a 'super diffuser' this weekend.

"The Red Bull is clearly the best car," Heidfeld told Auto Motor und Sport. "It's almost frightening how easily Vettel and Webber are able to drive it at the limit." He added his view that Red Bull were disguising the true pace of the Adrian Newey-penned RB6 throughout February by running "more fuel" than its rivals.

While much of the attention in Bahrain will be on Heidfeld's team-mate Michael Schumacher, Ross Brawn said: "Nico [Rosberg] has felt a little better in the car [than Schumacher] in his test days."

And Schumacher's manager Willi Weber said his client did not enjoy the W01's tendency to understeer.

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