George Russell has suggested that Red Bull is not showing its true potential in order that the sport doesn't somehow try to handicap its advantage.

Of course, attempting to 'nobble' a team that looks likely to dominate wouldn't be anything new, even before Drive to Survive the sport would seek to close any loopholes that might allow one team to run away with the championship.

With the RB19 looking to be pretty much unbeatable, and coming off the back of the Austrian team's domination in 2022, talking to the BBC's Chequered Flag podcast, Russell suggested that Red Bull might be holding back in a bid not to attract the attention of the sport's rule-makers.

"For sure they're holding back," he said. "They're almost embarrassed to show their full potential because the faster they seem globally the more the sport is going to try and hold them back somehow.

"Realistically they probably have seventh-tenths advantage over the field," he added. "Max has no reason to be pushing it, nor has Red Bull.

"They've done a really great job, to be fair to them, can't take anything away. We clearly have to up our game."

As it happens, some sections of the media believe that the various decisions taken on Sunday were justified, claiming that something, anything, is needed in order to prevent Red Bull "running away with the championship".

Presumably, it hasn't occurred to these people that perhaps rival teams should stop complaining and actually try to close the gap... at least as much as the budget cap will allow them.

"That's very generous of him," said Christian Horner, when told of Russell's claim. "His team of all people would know too well about those kind of advantages."

The Briton was no doubt referring to Paddy Lowe's admission that Mercedes regularly turned down its engine during qualifying in 2014 fearful of revealing its true advantage.

"There's always an element of managing that goes on in any race," added the Red Bull boss, according to Motorsport Week. "Because it was a one-stop race and a very early one-stop race, of course there was an element of tyre management which was going on, which was what they were doing.

"Checo wasn't hanging about, he wasn't cruising around, holding back seven-tenths per lap, because he didn't want to show it. The grid was certainly a little bit closer here."

No doubt Stefano, Pat Symonds and the boys are already working on a cunning plan.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by The stogie, 21/04/2023 23:41

"Just another case of history repeating itself. Think Mercedes, Ferrari and even John Player Loti!!"

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2. Posted by Mad Matt, 07/04/2023 7:19

"Good point @Bill. I remember being irritated when Ferrari were dominant, firstly because for me they were the "bad guys" :-) and secondly because the race directors used to focus on them out in front so we often didn't get to see what little action there was."

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3. Posted by BillH, 06/04/2023 19:30

"I used to get annoyed that Ferrari were so dominant from 2002 to 2004 in particular.

I had a change of attitude to the point where I now just appreciate the job done by the particular team that is getting consistent results and hope (not that that is anything to rely on) that the other teams, one in particular, close the gap so we get a good racing.

That being said, the TV directors would do well to watch the mid-field action and Drive To Survive may have had a positive impact there as watchers will have picked their favourite driver and keen to see what they are doing.

I can't remember seeing a lot of Red Bull last weekend unless it was a restart or Perez trying to move through the field.
"

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4. Posted by kenji, 06/04/2023 12:23

"@ Mad Matt...the whole engineP/U set up is is clouded in mystery, for me that is. Apparently Williams engineers don't get to have all that much to do with the PU. AFAIK a customer gets an engine, races it then after the race it's crated up and goes back to,the factory. They pay for the engine but don't actually own it! As I said, I may be totally wrong here but that's what I've gleaned over the past seasons. I'm sure someone here has all the answers."

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5. Posted by Mad Matt, 06/04/2023 12:08

"@kenji That I hadn't heard, I thought in principal they had the same modes and the same availability. I thought the only limit was if the engine was showing signs of problems. Again, from memory, I think Mercedes used to be run at high power for a certain mileage before they had to back off the settings in order not to lose the engine. I always imagined there'd be some variance due to manufacturing differences.

What Williams are saying kind of implies that there was more going on....."

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6. Posted by kenji, 06/04/2023 10:45

"@ MadM Matt....Yes, I seem to recall something like what you have suggested, What I was referring to was something different. Some few seasons back now I recall that Williams were questioned as to why they were not using 'party mode' in a similar fashion to Merc. during one race. They replied that they didn't control when it was used and for how long as the Mercedes embedded engineers controlled it! Whether that still operates I don't know but it would be interesting to find out."

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7. Posted by Mad Matt, 06/04/2023 7:16

"@kenji Didn't they change the rules so that all modes had to be available to all engine customers?

From memory, it seemed to me that while Mercedes had plenty of pace in hand, cracks started to appear when they were pushed hard enough to have to use it. I wonder if we would see the same should anyone get close to RedBull..."

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8. Posted by kenji, 05/04/2023 22:26

"@ Chester...It doesn't , but then again the term itself is highly questionable. Most engines have a 'party mode' and usage is controlled by the supplier in most cases AFAIK. "

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9. Posted by Spindoctor, 05/04/2023 21:57

"I think RBR's "true advantage" is pretty clear, so if hiding it is their goal, they've failed. George's comments seem pretty unexceptional to me: the RBR car is much quicker & RBR are sensibly keeping the wick turned down except when necessary. Max was clearly just keeping station ahead of the field & could go faster at will.

As George said, it's up to everyone else to catch up."

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10. Posted by meatball, 05/04/2023 15:47

"Of course they aren't showing their true potential. Why would they? That makes no sense at all. When a top ranked team hits any other field, pitch or sheet of ice, do they ask their team to absolutely gut themselves when playing against the lower ranks? NO. They keep fuel in the tank for when play actually gets tough.

It's like Toto and the Merc parrots can't acknowledge the damage the 7 years of them decimating the field did. Toto can't come to terms with the fact that these last 2 years they have had to actually fight to be best-of-the-rest. Seeing them act like the last 7 years didn't happen or were somehow different is laughable.
"

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11. Posted by Chester, 05/04/2023 14:30

"Agree, kenji. But how does your assertion, which I believe to be true, preclude Mercedes from sandbagging the past few years, and Red Bull sandbagging now?"

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12. Posted by kenji, 05/04/2023 13:38

"@ Chester...driving a racecar at speeds that are more than necessary to win just because you can would be dumb."

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13. Posted by Chester, 05/04/2023 13:20

"I believe it is possible that Red Bull are sand bagging, just as I believe it likely that Mercedes sand bagged in the early years (and possibly the whole era) of turbo hybrid. "

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14. Posted by Mad Matt, 05/04/2023 8:30

"I'm not sure that George is whining here or even complaining, he says "They've done a really great job, to be fair to them, can't take anything away. We clearly have to up our game.".

I can live with that attitude :-)

I think it's easy for us to read things into statements from Mercedes drivers because of the history between them and Red Bull... but for now I'm happy to give Gorgeous George the benefit of the doubt.

"

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15. Posted by kenji, 05/04/2023 1:10

"@Defiant....thanks for the response. My comments were based on an interview with Russell on the BBC Chequered Flag. He is reported as saying 'For sure they're holding back. I think they're embarrassed to show their full potential because the faster they seem the more the sport is going to try and hold them back'. My words distill that down into what I felt was being inferred. Either wayit's going to be interesting to see this play out over the full season. Pity Baku wasn't next week end!.

"

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Red Bull sandbagging to prevent potential 'manipulation'?

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