George Russel suggest Red Bull has failed to show its true speed advantage this year over fears Formula One will intervene to slow them down.
Mercedes driver predict Red Bull to win all 23 races this year is still going on, with the defending world champions fighting for three from three to start the season.
There are plenty of examples of F1 getting involved with rule changes meant to slow down a dominant car, and Russell thinks Red Bull is wary of that happening again.
“They’re definitely holding back,” Russell said after withdrawing from Sunday’s race.
“They almost feel ashamed to show their full potential because the faster they appear globally the sport will try to hold them back somehow.
“In fact, they can have a 1/7 advantage on the field. Max has no reason to push it, neither does Red Bull.
“They’ve done a really great job, to be fair to them, nothing can be taken away. Obviously we have to keep our game going.”
Red Bull seems to have hit a class of its own this year.
Russell briefly led Mercedes by a one-two at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday as the former world champions showed a clear improvement after their slow start to the season.
An automotive incident left him undisputed, before Verstappen knocked out Russell’s teammate Lewis Hamilton, as he benefited from F1’s Drag Reduction System (DRS) overtaking assist.
Red Bull led Aston Martin by 58 points in the constructors’ championship, with Mercedes by 9 points.
