From McLaren “covering up” to Red Bull’s “big magic trick”, Tom Coronel believes there is more to come when the MCL39 and the RB21 hit the track in Melbourne next weekend.

Wrapping up pre-season testing last week, McLaren left the Bahrain International Circuit smiling, while Red Bull admitted they had work to do.

More to come from Red Bull and McLaren in Melbourne?

Although the fastest time for the test went to Carlos Sainz in the Williams, McLaren had the best pace over a long run with Helmut Marko suggesting their advantage could be as much as “two or three-tenths”.

The Woking team’s latest MCL sports notable changes compared to last year’s Constructors-winning MCL38, including a reprofiled nose, redesigned airbox and sidepods, and a big change to the layout of the front suspension.

On the Red Bull, though, the changes weren’t as noticeable, with the initial assessment of the RB21 being that it is near-identical to its predecessor.

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Dutch pundit Coronel says don’t be fooled by that as he believes many of the changes are hidden from outside view.

“This is the big magic trick,” he told RacingNews365. “But of course, it’s about what happened there. That’s where 90 percent of the car is. I mean, the rest is just a cap on top.

“There’s still a lot to come out. A lot is still going to come out from Red Bull. A lot.”

But told that Red Bull’s rivals all made ‘significant changes’, he hit back: “But they needed that too, because who was champion last year?”

Although Verstappen did win the title last season, he went through a winless streak that extended to 10 races before he returned to the top step of the podium in Brazil and wrapped up the title at the race in Las Vegas.

Marko reckons it was Verstappen, not the Red Bull RB20, that won the Drivers’ title.

“But you can’t become World Champion in a Flintstone car,” said Coronel of that sentiment. “I agree, with Max in the car it worked. Otherwise it wouldn’t have worked. I agree.

“But Max doesn’t win in a Stake. Max doesn’t win in the Williams.”

The 52-year-old also touched on McLaren and their MCL39.

Despite the Woking team seemingly winning the long run battle in pre-season testing, Coronel has warned they were sandbagging.

“I really think they are covering up something and don’t want to show something, and ultimately if you look at the runs, there is little movement in the car – it’s very consistent. I was seriously impressed,” he said.

The F1 2025 championship begins in Australia next week with the Formula 1 drivers in action at the Albert Park circuit from March 14-16.

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