• Bahrain Grand Prix

Red Bull still unhappy with Pirelli

ESPN Staff
April 22, 2013 « Ecclestone says Bahrain government 'stupid' to allow race | McLaren will make drivers talk - Whitmarsh »
Sebastian Vettel won comfortably in Bahrain but Red Bull is still not happy with the tyre situation © Sutton Images
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Christian Horner says Red Bull is still not happy with the 2013 Pirelli tyres despite Sebastian Vettel dominating the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Vettel had no tyre issues as he three-stopped his way to an easy victory in Bahrain, winning by 9.1s from Kimi Raikkonen. Although Red Bull delivered a strong performance through Vettel, Mark Webber's tyres went off late in the race and he faded to seventh, and with some drivers having to stop four times Horner said he still believes the tyre degradation is excessive.

"We think the tyres are brilliant; we've got absolutely no problem with them and think they should keep the same compounds for all the remaining races!" Horner said. "No, I think the tyres are still too on an edge. Needing to four-stop in a race I think is a bit too extreme, there's other teams that look like they've got bigger issues than Red Bull with their tyres but you need to speak to them to ask their opinion. But I do feel that the tyres are a little bit too on an edge and just need to come back a little bit."

With the first four flyaway races completed, Horner said a pecking order had started to emerge and that he was pleased with the start Red Bull has made to the season.

"I think what you can see is that Ferrari is strong, Lotus have got a good car, the Mercedes certainly over a single lap are very strong, the rest are a bit of step behind. It's close, it's tight and I'm sure it's going to move around going circuit to circuit in Europe. But to be heading back to Europe having won two out of the four races, plus a second place, it's been a strong start to the campaign for us."

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