Though Red Bull, in only the first year of its partnership with Honda, claimed three victories, the Austrian team is the first to admit that but for a slow start to 2019 it could have been more.

Learning the lesson of the past however, Helmut Marko, while revealing that the new car is two weeks ahead of schedule, insists that next year there will be no excuses with the team determined to be on the pace from the outset.

"We don't have any excuses for next year," he told Red Bull-owned ServusTV. "For the first time we are fourteen days ahead of our normal schedule.

"We're going into the new year better than ever and with a great concept," he added. "Now we finally have to deliver."

In the opening races the team was compromised by its chassis and also an underpowered Honda engine, however, once these issues were resolved the Austrian team became an increasing threat, if mainly to Ferrari.

Having previously predicted five wins for the team, Marko admitted that "the fact that we only won three cost me a few bets", before adding "we had the potential for five, if not six wins."

"Normally we are at least in Spain so far that we are competitive," he said of the team's slow start to the year. "This year it took longer."

"We hope to be able to compete for the world championship straight from the beginning of the season," added Max Verstappen.

"I am really positive," he added. "I feel well within Red Bull, and everything goes really well and that is the most important in the end. We all want to win together. I am relaxed and feel well within the team. I want to win with Red Bull."