Red Bull concealing true pace to avoid FIA intervention, claims George Russell

Max Verstappen's seemingly effortless win at the Australian Grand Prix has raised suspicions among his rivals.

George Russell of Mercedes has voiced his belief that Red Bull is deliberately downplaying their superior pace to avoid attracting unwanted attention from the FIA.

Verstappen's Unchallenged Win

Despite only gaining a nine-second lead during the longest uninterrupted stint at the Australian Grand Prix, Verstappen didn't seem to break a sweat.

He even admitted that he didn't need to get too aggressive during restart battles with Mercedes teammates, as he was confident in the RB19's speed.

After the initial restart, Verstappen quickly overtook Lewis Hamilton once DRS became available and seemed to cruise to Red Bull's third race win of the season.

Red Bull Holding Back

George Russell shared his thoughts on Red Bull's performance via the BBC's Chequered Flag podcast.

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

Russell believes that Red Bull has a significant advantage, estimating it to be around seven-tenths of a second faster than the rest of the field.

He also acknowledged that the team has done an excellent job, and it's up to Mercedes to step up their game.

The RB19 has already proven itself as the dominant force in the 2023 Formula 1 season, with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez taking convincing victories in the first three races.

Russell estimates that Red Bull has a seven-tenths advantage over the rest of the grid, which they're unlikely to use while other teams are catching up.

"I think realistically they probably have seven-tenths advantage over the rest of the field," he explained.

Hamilton Echoes Russell's Concerns

Previously Hamilton witnessed Red Bull's extraordinary advantage first-hand during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen effortlessly overtook him during his recovery drive from 15th on the grid.

Hamilton remarked that the gap Red Bull has over the competition is much greater than anything he and Mercedes enjoyed during their early turbo hybrid years.

"I've definitely never seen a car so fast. I think it's the fastest car I've seen, especially compared to the rest," said Hamilton. "When we were fast, we weren't that fast."

At the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, both Verstappen and Perez demonstrated their speed when they went for the fastest lap and built up a 30-second gap.

Yet, Verstappen maintained a modest nine-second lead over Lewis Hamilton before the red flag in Australia, further supporting Russell's sandbagging theory.

Recent races have showcased Verstappen and Perez using their car advantage to work their way through the field.

Verstappen climbed from P15 to P2 in Saudi Arabia, while Perez recovered from last place to P5 in Australia.