Having dominated 2022, it looks very much like Red Bull have picked up where they left off this season, with the RB19 looking head and shoulders above every other car on the grid.
Red Bull locked out the front row during qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix and went on to score a one-two during the race, with Max Verstappen driving a very lonely race from the front.
Ferrari still appear to be struggling with engine reliability after Charles Leclerc was forced to retire from the race and Mercedes’ decision to stick with the zero sidepod approach already appears to have backfired, with the team significantly lacking performance.
George Russell has admitted that he expects Red Bull to win every single race this season, such is their reliability and race pace, which if true would lead to a very boring F1 season.
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Mercedes fans online have now been calling for Red Bull to be handicapped to stop them running away with the championship, just as the Silver Arrows reportedly were in the past.
“I think we need some kind of mid-season rule change that hobbles Red Bull,” tweeted a well-known Mercedes fan account.
“They did it to Merc many times with FRIC and engine modes, so it’s only fair.
“I don’t know what that thing is. But desperate times call for desperate measures.”
Sky Sports pundit Naomi Schiff has admitted that she is concerned about a potentially Red Bull dominated era, with the team having the ability to go on a winning run similar to Mercedes’ eight constructors’ championship titles in a row that they achieved in the last decade.
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Some Mercedes fans have suggested that rather than hindering Red Bull, their rivals should receive a small boost, similar to rules if different racing series.
“Sports like MotoGP and World Superbikes, teams have in season concessions which allow extras. Like more testing. A few more engines a year. Extra tyres. Swing arm changes. I wouldn’t limit Red Bull as they have built a great car, but other teams could have benefits to catch up,” suggested one Twitter user.
While Red Bull clearly look to be the strongest team so far, there are still 22 races left this season, giving the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes plenty of time to try to get up to speed with the energy drink giants.