Sergio Perez is adamant Red Bull will not steer him away from a battle with Max Verstappen for the Formula One title.

Red Bull have dominated the opening two rounds of the season, securing one-two finishes in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, with Verstappen holding a narrow one-point lead over his team-mate courtesy of the fastest lap in Jeddah.

Verstappen's push for the extra championship point last time out saw sparks flying at Red Bull, with Perez unhappy he was not given a similar message over team radio and ultimately not making a bid himself to set the fastest time.

Suggestions that tempers are flaring in the paddock have been downplayed, however, and Mexican driver Perez feels he has support within the team to launch his own bid for the title.

The season continues this weekend at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

"When I first came to the team [ahead of the 2021 season], things were very different.  Basically, they were just going racing with two cars because they had to," Perez said, quoted by BBC Sport.

"I can now say that I really feel part of the team, have my place and am well respected.

"I really believe I have the team's full support, as much as Max does, and that I will have every opportunity to win the championship, as much as Max."

While going wheel-to-wheel with Verstappen could lead to tensions over the course of the season, Perez feels the pair have the maturity to deal with any rivalry that could emerge on track.

"I'm here to do the best possible thing for myself as well. To be honest, we have a lot more respect for each other than people might think," Perez said.

"Inside the team, there is a very high level of respect with each other. I think we are both mature enough to know what's right and what's wrong and, as long as that keeps being the case, I don't expect anything to change."

Lewis Hamilton needs support from his fellow Formula 1 drivers to fill the gap left behind by Sebastian Vettel in championing human rights issues, says former McLaren head of communications Matt Bishop.

The pair have formed the cornerstone of the sport's stands against injustice and have voiced vocal support for a multitude of social causes, in particular the LGBTQ+ community, during their time in F1.

With Vettel's retirement at the end of last season, however, Hamilton has been left to lead from the front, particularly amid the sport's powerbrokers moving to censor political protests on race weekends.

Ahead of this weekend's Australian Grand Prix, Bishop – who helped create the Racing Pride organisation to support the LGBTQ+ community in motorsport – has called for the void to be filled in support of the Briton.

"[Vettel] absolutely saw Lewis as somebody who he could confide in, who he could seek counsel from," he told Sky Sports.

"I think it was mutual. They both saw each other as somebody who 'gets it' in the same way. I'm not trying to criticise any of the other drivers by the way – I worked with many of them, and it takes all sorts to make a world.

"But I suppose I would now like some of the other drivers to consider whether they could perhaps fill the void Sebastian has vacated, because Lewis is a tiny bit on his own now."

Bishop's comments come after three-time world champion Nelson Piquet was last week fined £780,000 for racist and homophobic comments made about Hamilton during an interview from November 2021.

"The most important thing is that in Brazil that wrong was righted and I know he's got to pay a big fine," Bishop said.

"I assume he can afford it and I do hope, which presumably was the objective, that it will deter other people from speaking in such an appalling way moving forward."

Repsol Honda alleged the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) has "violated" the team's rights after its decision to uphold Marc Marquez's ban beyond the Argentina Grand Prix.

The six-time MotoGP champion suffered a fracture to the first metacarpal bone in his right hand in Sunday's Portuguese Grand Prix.

That was after a crash with Miguel Oliveira at Turn 3 early in the race, with Marquez found guilty of irresponsible riding in Portimao after both riders were unable to continue.

The Spaniard was handed a double long-lap penalty and the FIM confirmed Marquez will serve the sanction when he next features after Honda announced he will miss the next race due to a hand operation.

Honda have contested the FIM's ruling, questioning the merits of changing the penalty two days after the initial sanction.

"The modification of the penalty consisted of a change of criteria on when the penalty should be applied," Honda said in a statement on Wednesday.

"This modification was issued by the FIM two days after the initial sanction was final and definitive, and is not in line with the current regulations of the FIM for the MotoGP World Championship.

"The Repsol Honda Team intends to use all the means of recourse to defend its rights and legitimate interests, which it considers violated as a result of the latest resolution adopted, and in particular has duly submitted an appeal before the FIM Appeal Stewards."

Japanese team Honda have opted to go to the Termas de Rio Hondo Circuit with just one rider, despite having test rider Stefan Bradl available.

Joan Mir will step up in the absence of Marquez as the 2020 world champion prepares for his second race in the team's colours on Sunday in Santiago del Estero.

The Formula One grid will see a "different" Max Verstappen at the Australian Grand Prix, according to Helmut Marko.

Those are foreboding words for the two-time defending world champion's rivals, among which only his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez can be considered a serious challenger following the first two races of the season.

Red Bull claimed one-twos in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, doing so in dominant fashion as Verstappen prevailed in the season opener before Perez won from pole in Jeddah.

Verstappen recovered from 15th, his qualifying hindered by a driveshaft failure, to finish second in Saudi Arabia.

But Red Bull consultant Marko expects Verstappen to produce a stronger performance at Albert Park.

"He wasn't 100 per cent fit," Marko told F1-Insider after Verstappen had battled illness in the build up to the race.

"However, he is now doing everything he can to maximise performance next time. 

"We will therefore see a different Verstappen in Australia."

While Red Bull are the clear class of the field, Mercedes remain a long way off their former glories, though boss Toto Wolff has reason for optimism following fourth and fifth-place finishes for George Russell and Lewis Hamilton in Saudi Arabia and signs of progress at their factory.

"The signs we are seeing back at the factory are promising," said Wolff. "We have got to take it step by step, though, and won't get carried away until we see performance translated into lap time on track. 

"The competitive order behind Red Bull is tight, with small margins having a big effect on points scored. There remains a significant gap to the front and that is ultimately what we are interested in closing."
 

A Red Bull-Alonso hat-trick?

The only man who has come close to challenging Red Bull is Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso, who got past Perez at the start in Saudi Arabia and briefly led.

He has back-to-back third-place finishes. If he, Verstappen and Perez share the podium again, it would be first time since 2015 with the same three drivers in the top three in the first three races of the year in Formula One (Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel).

A third straight one-two for Red Bull would mark the first time they have achieved such a feat and make them to sixth team to do so.

Piastri's progress

Oscar Piastri is the only Australian on the grid, having replaced compatriot Daniel Ricciardo at McLaren.

McLaren have yet to score a point in a difficult start to the season, but Piastri qualified an encouraging ninth in Saudi Arabia before early pit stops for front wing damage for him and team-mate Lando Norris hindered their respective races. 

But his qualifying performance in Jeddah offers hope he can score his first F1 point at his home grand prix, with team principal Andrea Stella praising the rookie.

"We have seen really strong progress by Oscar," Stella told Autosport. "Obviously, Lando is a complete certainty. So we know that Lando is there.

"If you look back, already in FP1 he [Piastri] was a little bit more competitive than Bahrain, then FP2 closer, then FP3 pretty much a match for Lando, capitalising in qualifying, and then very strong in the race. 

"For me, I see more the sense of constant progression, which is ultimately the plan that we have with Oscar."

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Drivers

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 44

2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) 43

3. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) 27

4. George Russell (Mercedes) 21

5. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) 20

Constructors

1. Red Bull 87

2. Mercedes 41

3. Aston Martin 35

4. Ferrari 26

5. Alpine 8

Marc Marquez has been ruled out of next weekend's Argentina Grand Prix after undergoing surgery on his hand.

The six-time MotoGP champion suffered a fracture to the first metacarpal bone in his right hand in Sunday's Portuguese Grand Prix.

Repsol Honda confirmed on Monday that Marquez was operated on at the Ruber Internacional Hospital in Madrid and will spend a short period recuperating.

As a result of sitting out the next round in Argentina, the Spaniard will also miss the double long-lap penalty imposed on him by the FIM 

Marquez was found guilty of irresponsible riding in Portimao when ploughing into Miguel Oliveira at Turn 3 early in the race, resulting in both riders dramatically crashing out.

The 30-year-old also forced Jorge Martin wide, which saw his compatriot lose several positions.

Speaking after the race, which he entered in pole position, Marquez accepted blame for the collision that cut his opening race of the season short.

"The most important is that Miguel is okay," he said. "I made a big mistake on Turn 3, in the first part, and this created everything.

"I braked and had a massive lock with the front tyre. That meant that I released the brakes. My intention was to go to the left side. 

"But the bike stayed on a lean and I couldn't avoid going to the right side. I was able to avoid Martin but couldn't avoid Miguel. I was very worried because the contact was big.

"I already said it personally – but I want to say sorry to him, to his team, to the Portuguese fans. 

"I have been penalised for that mistake with a double long lap penalty, that I completely, completely agree."

Marc Marquez has been hit with a double long-lap penalty following his Portuguese Grand Prix crash on Sunday.

The six-time MotoGP champion started on pole in Portimao, but a costly mistake brought his race to a premature end.

Marquez ploughed into Miguel Oliveira at Turn 3 early in the race, resulting in both riders dramatically crashing out.

The Spaniard also forced Jorge Martin wide, which saw his compatriot lose several positions.

Marquez could miss the next round in Argentina, as he waits to discover if he suffered a fracture to the first metacarpal bone in his right hand.

If he is passed fit for that race, the 30-year-old will face a penalty after the stewards ruled that he was guilty of irresponsible riding.

Marquez said: "Honestly speaking, I am not worried about Argentina. Today, the most important is that Miguel is okay. Because I did a big mistake on Turn [3], in the first part, and this created everything.

"I braked and had a massive lock with the front tyre. That meant that I released the brakes. My intention was to go to the left side. But the bike stayed on a lean and I couldn't avoid going to the right side.

"I was able to avoid Martin but couldn't avoid Miguel. I was very worried for him because the contact was big.

"I already said it personally – but I want to say sorry to him, to his team, to the Portuguese fans. I have been penalised for that mistake with a double long lap penalty, that I completely, completely agree.

"But apart from that, I have a few injuries – my hand, my knee. We need to check. Let's see. At the moment it's not the most important, my situation."

Oliveira suffered from a contusion in his right leg on home soil in a race that was won by Francesco Bagnaia, who completed a double after his success in the sprint race on Saturday.

Francesco Bagnaia praised his new Ducati bike, saying it suits his riding style as he clinched victory at the Portuguese Grand Prix on Sunday.

On the first race weekend of the new MotoGP season, Bagnaia won the inaugural sprint race on Saturday, before also taking first place a day later.

The defending world champion finished ahead of Maverick Vinales and fellow Italian Marco Bezzecchi, and expressed his delight with his new bike at the post-race press conference.

"We worked so well on the tests that everything was prepared for the race, we were so on the limit," he said. "Compare that to two years ago and last year, the race time was so much faster.

"It was quite tough, the tyres were working so perfectly... I'm happy, everything went perfectly. This new bike suits very well my riding style, better than the old one, so we are fighting in a good direction."

Bezzecchi was surprised with his third-place finish to begin his second season after being the best rookie in MotoGP last year with 111 points, more than the other four rookie riders combined (Fabio Di Giannantonio: 24; Raul Fernandez: 14; Remy Gardner: 13 and Darryn Binder: 12).

"I am very happy. It's always nice to have some good results," the 24-year-old said. "Honestly, I wasn't expecting this because it's a track where I've never been so fast in Moto2 or in the previous year. Also, last year I was very slow, but this year I made a step and I'm very happy.

"The race was fantastic. I was able to escape the group behind me, and I was trying to catch Maverick but he was a little bit faster than me, especially at the end. But this gave me the possibility to escape, to have a good gap, and finally to get this podium."

Spaniard Vinales held on for second place, and is optimistic of competing at the front again in next week's Argentinian Grand Prix.

"I've been quite fast in Argentina for all the years," he said. "I don't know, I don't want to put anything on my head. I will go there, do the job, take out the maximum of the bike and then we will see.

"What I am sure of is that if we can get the maximum from the weekend, we will be fighting at the front."

Francesco Bagnaia made it a perfect start to the MotoGP season by winning the Portuguese Grand Prix after Marc Marquez crashed out.

Bagnaia was victorious in the inaugural MotoGP sprint race on Saturday and the reigning champion crossed the line first again in Portimao a day later.

The Ducati rider started in second place behind Marquez, but the Spaniard's race came to an early end when he lost control and collided with Miguel Oliveira.

Oliveira had taken an early lead after starting in fourth place on home soil, but Marquez's mistake left him heading for the medical tent for a check-up after he was sent flying off his bike at Turn 3.

It was subsequently confirmed six-time world champion Marquez had suffered a fractured first metacarpal bone in his right hand.

Italian Bagnaia took over at the front on lap two following moves on Oliveira and Jorge Martin, then went on to complete a double ahead of Maverick Vinales.

Marco Bezzecchi joined his compatriot Bagnaia on the podium by taking third place, with Johann Zarco nipping in to take fourth in the closing stages ahead of Alex Marquez.

Martin crashed out with five laps to go at Turn 2 as Bagnaia took command and made it a dream start to the defence of his title. 

Brazilian motor racing great Nelson Piquet has been fined around £780,000 for making racist and homophobic comments about seven-time Formula One drivers' champion Lewis Hamilton.

A judge in Brasilia imposed the punishment "for collective moral damages" and it was announced the money would go towards promoting racial equality and fighting LGBTQIA+ discrimination.

It was alleged by campaign groups behind the action that Piquet made comments in a November 2021 interview on YouTube that "violated the diffuse fundamental right to honour of the black population and the LGBTQIA+ community", and that those remarks, directed at Hamilton, went beyond the limits of freedom of expression.

In a statement confirming the punishment for 70-year-old Piquet, who won Formula One titles in 1981, 1983 and 1987, it was said that he denied intending "to harm Hamilton or anyone else's honour".

However, the judge said the discriminatory content was verifiable and determined Piquet's use of the term 'neguinho', which translates as 'little black man', was used when the former driver was being critical of Hamilton.

It was ruled that: "The nuances of language cannot go unnoticed, as subtlety is one of the characteristics of contemporary Brazilian racism: the subjugating element is present, the neguinho is not just any person, he is not a young black man, it is not an affectionate nickname, it is [saying] that the black person is doing something wrong, that he is an inferior race.

"In this context, it is easy to see that the use of the term neguinho by the defendant, a white person, to refer to the black English driver is a conduct that is discriminatory and with harmful meaning".

The judge determined Piquet had also used homophobic language when referring to Hamilton, implying that "being gay would be a negative characteristic, because it means incompetence".

The ruling and fine of five million Brazilian Reals is a punishment that Piquet is entitled to appeal against.

At the time of Piquet's remarks coming to light last June, former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone declared Hamilton should be "happy" he received an apology and ought to have "brushed aside" the Brazilian’s racist slur.

Hamilton responded by referencing Ecclestone and Piquet as "older voices", declaring they have "nothing positive" to contribute.

"We push for action. There needs to be some accountability," Hamilton said.

He added: "I have always tried to take the higher road and be respectful. It ties back to – why do we give them a platform? They are not with the times. They are not willing to change. Microaggression in today's world is not healthy."

Francesco Bagnaia triumphed in MotoGP's first sprint race after Marc Marquez snatched pole position for Sunday's Portuguese Grand Prix.

Reigning series champion Bagnaia fended off Jorge Martin in the half-distance sprint, winning by 0.307 seconds, with Marquez taking third position and Jack Miller fourth.

That race came after Marquez rolled back the years by roaring to pole for the sprint and Sunday's main event at the season-opening race weekend.

Six-time MotoGP champion Marquez endured a miserable 2022 season and only achieved one podium, but he reasserted himself as a threat for the new campaign with a dazzling lap record.

He pipped Bagnaia to pole, with Martin starting third on the grid.

It was just Marquez's second pole since his 2019 championship-winning season, with his show-stealing lap coming late on in Q2 after Bagnaia had looked set to bag first position on the grid.

Spaniard Marquez, who turned 30 last month, surprised himself with his qualifying pace.

He said afterwards: "I don't know, I cannot explain because I don't understand, honestly speaking. I don't understand the situation.

"Yesterday we were struggling a lot and today it's true that I started to ride in a better way, I improved myself and the guys yesterday did an incredible job and improved some small details.

"Today in FP3 I already felt good and smooth to ride. I was alone and was consistent."

Marquez senses real limitations with his Repsol Honda RC213V, but he found a way to bypass those in qualifying.

Quoted on motorsport.com, Marquez said: "It's true that to do a very quick lap with the Honda, we need a slipstream. It's not the best way, it's not the most polite way to do a lap time. But it's one of my strongest points.

"So, if the strong point is there, I need to take profit of that. It's not easy to follow a guy, but at the moment it's the only way."

That factor meant Marquez was not likely to be a front-runner in the sprint itself, but third place represented a strong outcome all the same.

Bagnaia's Ducati team-mate Enea Bastianini crashed during the sprint and suffered a right scapula fracture, meaning he was taken to hospital in Portimao.

GRID CLASSIFICATION

1. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) 1 minute 37.226 seconds
2. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) + 0.064 secs
3. Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) + 0.228s
4. Miguel Oliveira (RNF) + 0.295
5. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM) +0.323
6. Enea Bastianini (Ducati) + 0.358
7. Maverick Vinales (Aprilia) + 0.372
8. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46) + 0.390
9. Luca Marini (Mooney VR46) + 0.396
10. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) + 0.654

SPRINT RESULT

1. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) 19:52.862
2. Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) +0.307
3. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) +1.517
4. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM) +1.603
5. Maverick Vinales (Aprilia) +1.854
6. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) +2.106
7. Miguel Oliveira (RNF) +2.940
8. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) +5.595
9. Alex Marquez (Gresini) +5.711
10. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) +5.924

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

1. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) 12 points
2. Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) 9
3. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) 7
4. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM) 6
5. Maverick Vinales (Aprilia) 5
6. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) 4
7. Miguel Oliveira (RNF) 3
8. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) 2
9. Alex Marquez (Gresini) 1

Mercedes are missing the influence of Niki Lauda amid their ongoing struggles, team principal Toto Wolff said.

Three-time champion Lauda held a non-executive chairman role with Mercedes until his death in 2019 and played an integral role during the team's dominant years in Formula One.

That spell at the top now seems a million miles away, having conceded the Constructors' Championship to Red Bull last season when they won just a single race.

Mercedes' struggles look set to continue in 2023 after failing to get on the podium in either of the first two races of the season in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, where Red Bull dominated.

While the team are in need of development upgrades to close the gap on their rivals, Wolff outlined why the absence of Lauda is also a hindrance.

"Niki's missed all those years because Niki always simplified things to really what mattered," he said.

"I'm having to think what would he have said, and how would he have positioned [things], and the two of us worked well together in that sense that sometimes oversimplification can lead you straight to the results.

"But there are lots of nuances. This is a technical sport, so maybe my role was to translate it in a way that we actually were able to execute it in the car design.

"But this is very simple: the stopwatch never lies, and we see on the data where we are missing and that needs to be corrected."

Christian Horner has ruled out Red Bull making a move to snatch Lewis Hamilton from rivals Mercedes at the end of the season.

The seven-time Formula One champion looks set to endure another difficult season with Mercedes, having failed to win a race in 2022 – the first year in his career without a victory.

Mercedes' struggles have reignited the debate around Hamilton's future, with the British driver's deal due to expire at the end of the season, and team principal Toto Wolff accepted there can be no complaints in the years to come if Hamilton moves elsewhere.

However, Red Bull would not make a move if Hamilton was to become available, with Horner adamant Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez will remain put for next season.

"What Lewis has achieved in F1 is second to none, but we're very happy with the drivers that we have," he told Sky News.

"They're committed as a pair not only this season but the next season as well. So, I can't see where we would be able to accommodate Lewis."

While Mercedes have struggled so far this season, failing to secure a podium in either of the opening two races, Horner expects the team to improve over the course of the year.

"I'm sure they're going to sort their issues out – we're certainly not writing him off yet," he added.

"We're hearing about big Mercedes upgrades. I'm sure Ferrari aren't happy with their current position as well. So, we're fully expecting things to converge quickly."

Hamilton has spent the past decade with Mercedes and has won six of his seven world titles with the team, the other coming in 2008 during a five-year stint with McLaren.

 Jamaica’s lone rally cross driver Fraser McConnell capped off a fine 2022/23 Nitro Rally Cross season by finishing second in the season finale Group E Round 10 event at Glen Helen Raceway in California last weekend.  McConnell demonstrated his tactical prowess during the damp six-lap final, only to be edged out by Dreyer&Reinbold Swedish teammate Robin Larsson, who took the final event in a time of 4:58:964.

Norway’s Andreas Bakkerud made it a clean sweep for team DRR after finishing third.

For his efforts, McConnell ended the overall championship third in Nitro RX 2022/23 and his contribution also allowed for team DRR to secure the team title which was pleasing for the Jamaican.  “It has been a really great season in Nitro with me having a lot on the table and racing alongside people like Travis Pastrana, who is my childhood hero,” McConnell said.

“To be able to get third in the Championship with such a stacked field, was a big accomplishment for myself and Jamaica.”

McConnell entered the final day as one of the top five racers who were close in the championship standings. With Larsson eventually sewing up the championship, it was down to McConnell and Pastrana to see who would finish second and third, with the American just edging out the Jamaican in the last race of the season.

 Following another successful season made possible by the support of sponsors Tru Shake, Just Bet, Proven Wealth, Jamaica Tourist Board and Rainforest Seafood, McConnell is already looking ahead to next season with his team in talks with the Nitro RX organizers to kick off the new season in June of this year.

 “I am very happy with where I am at in my career and this past season really developed me as a driver. This shows that I can compete and beat the best in the world,” added McConnell.

 After a break back home, McConnell will next turn his attention to the X44 Vida Carbon Racing, the Extreme E Team founded by Seven-Time Formula 1 Champion Sir Lewis Hamilton.

 McConnell will join season-two winner and World Champion Cristina Gutiérrez as his race partner.

Fernando Alonso's 100th podium finish in Formula One has been reinstated after Aston Martin appealed a decision to hand him a 10-second penalty at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Alonso celebrated consecutive third-placed finishes on Sunday, having taken the lead from Sergio Perez early on before receiving a five-second penalty for an incorrect starting position on the grid.

The Spaniard recovered to finish behind Red Bull duo Perez and Max Verstappen, but an investigation after the race concluded he had not served his full five-second punishment while in the pit lane.

Mercedes' George Russell moved up to third after an Aston Martin engineer was said to have placed the rear jack on the back of Alonso's car just before the end of his penalty.

Alonso subsequently claimed that decision "didn't hurt too much" but criticised a "poor show" from the FIA, though the two-time world champion will be more content after his team's appeal was successful.

The outcome of Aston Martin's bid to reverse the penalty was announced shortly after 1am in Jeddah, confirming Alonso's century of podium finishes.

Alonso is just the sixth driver to reach that figure, after Lewis Hamilton (191), Michael Schumacher (155), Sebastian Vettel (122), Alain Prost (106) and Kimi Raikkonen (103).

Race stewards said they were shown footage of seven similar incidents in which cars were touched by the jack while serving a time penalty – all of which went unpunished – as part of the appeal.

Lewis Hamilton feels Mercedes have shown progress after the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix but Toto Wolff is still determined to see the team challenge for victory.

The Briton finished fifth in the second race of the season, improving on his seventh-place position on the starting grid as Sergio Perez led a one-two Red Bull lockout.

Team-mate George Russell meanwhile provided the Silver Arrows with their first podium of the year, after he was elevated to third following a penalty against Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso.

After a build-up dominated by the topic of the seven-time world champion's future, Hamilton acknowledged he was satisfied to make some steps in the right direction, no matter how small.

"We got some great points for the team," he told Sky Sports. "George got third and he did amazing. I went forwards. I'm really grateful to have come from seventh to fifth.

"The strategy didn't really work out for me, the set-up was a little bit off. [There is] lots to work on but there are positives to take away from it.

"I could only match [Russell's] pace rather than be quicker this weekend, but I'll work hard to make sure we're in a better position next weekend."

After taking fifth and seventh at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, Saudi Arabia represented an improvement for Mercedes as a whole.

But Wolff is keen to see the team back among the frontrunners on the grid, stating of their performance; "We want to race for wins soon. We are [the] first loser.

"The question is what is [our] benchmark. If you look at the Red Bulls, they are just so quick. I think we understand the car more and I am looking optimistic for the future.

"We are making big elephant steps at the moment. But it is going to be a long time till we can challenge Red Bull. It is a super fun journey to climb back."

Russell, who missed out on standing on the podium before he was retroactively awarded third, acknowledges their rivals remain far ahead of the pack, but believes Mercedes are closer than many think.

"You have to give credit to what Red Bull have done," he added. "The gap they have to the rest of the field is bigger than we have seen since perhaps Mercedes in 2014. It is a serious, serious gap.

"But we know we didn't make the right decisions over the winter and we can regain some of that performance quicker than you would do ordinarily. All is not lost. We'll focus on ourselves and get the fundamentals right."

Mercedes posted a better day than rivals Ferrari, who saw Charles Leclerc forced to take a 10-place grid penalty before the race for a power unit change.

The Monegasque driver finished seventh, one place behind team-mate Carlos Sainz Jr., leaving team principal Frederic Vasseur to mull over a below-par weekend.

"It's not a good result," he added. "We didn't have the pace, we have to be honest. We have positive points from the weekend.

"[But] we have to understand where the lack of performance is coming from. It is not coming from the management."