Dr Helmut Marko is not sure Red Bull will catch up its early-season deficit in 2014, after a disastrous start to its latest title defence.
Speaking to Red Bull’s in-house Servus TV network, the always-blunt Austrian admitted the reigning world champion team is months behind its rivals.
“The season opener is coming at least two months too early for us,” Marko said on the Sport und Talk programme.
“We are not where we should be.”
He said the biggest problem is that in the 12 days of pre-Melbourne testing in Spain and Bahrain, Red Bull turned significantly fewer laps than any other traditional rival.
“This is a very, very serious thing,” said Marko.