Max Verstappen believes that Red Bull will only know how competitive they can be in the 2019 Formula 1 season after the Chinese Grand Prix, as the races in Australia and Bahrain don’t provide a true reflection of a team’s performance due to their unconventional tracks.
The Dutchman and his team made a positive start to the campaign last weekend as he finished with a podium spot in Melbourne after finishing third.
He reckons that not a lot can be taken from that result, however.
“Starting the season with a podium in Australia is really positive but Melbourne is not a typical circuit, so we can’t get carried away, and I don’t think we will really know where we stand until after China,” he told the official Red Bull website.
Verstappen puts Bahrain in the same bracket as Australia, as the weekend is different from most others due to the fact that practice takes place at a different time of day than qualifying and the GP proper, which both crossover into nighttime from the light of the afternoon.
“I enjoy the track and the transition from day to night is a challenge in terms of car balance, so that always makes it an interesting weekend,” he said of the Bahrain International Circuit.
“You never really know where you stand when you start qualifying because you haven’t had the optimal preparation as the track conditions aren't the same during practice. The middle sector, which is quite technical, is the best part of the Bahrain circuit and I hope it’s good for racing again this year.”
GP BAHRAIN
29 Feb - 2 Mar
GP SAUDI ARABIA
7 - 9 Mar
GP AUSTRALIA
22 - 24 Mar
GP JAPAN
5 - 7 Apr
GP CHINA
19 - 21 Apr
GP USA
3 - 5 May
GP ITALY
17 - 19 May
GP MONACO
24 - 26 May
GP CANADA
7 - 9 Jun
GP SPAIN
21 - 23 Jun
GP AUSTRIA
28 - 30 Jun
Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
Grand Prix of Hungary 2024 
Grand Prix of Belgium 2024 
Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024 
Grand Prix of Singapore 2024 
Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024 
Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024 
Qatar Grand Prix 2024 
Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024 
Innovatieweg 20C