Christian Horner is confident Red Bull can out-develop its rivals in 2017 and says a comparison to 2016 shows why the team should not be worried about its current deficit to Ferrari.
Red Bull had a disappointing opening race in Australia, spending the weekend a long way behind the Ferrari and Mercedes battle out in front. Max Verstappen was over a second off Lewis Hamilton's pole position time and then finished the race fifth, 28 seconds behind race winner Sebastian Vettel.
Last year Red Bull finished the Melbourne opener 24 seconds off the lead and was a clear third in the pecking order, only to win the Spanish Grand Prix and overhaul Ferrari before the summer break. With many predicting an intense development battle with F1's new cars this year, Horner is confident the team can catch up quickly.
"Sometimes it's the smaller things that can have a big impact," Horner told Sky Sports when asked how the team gets itself back in the mix out in front. "We weren't in a good operating window in Melbourne. I was actually looking at the pace analysis from last year, and at this race [China] last year we were exactly the same amount behind Ferrari and Mercedes.
"Ferrari were right on the pace [in China] with Mercedes last year, and we were able to out-develop them during the course of the year. I'm confident with everything coming in the pipeline we've got the basis of a very good car here that will evolve and evolve through the year."
During Thursday's media day in Shanghai Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo said on-board footage from Australia showed the team's chassis is lacking rear downforce. Horner says the data from Melbourne suggests the team can improve in all areas, as well as with its TAG Heuer-branded Renault engine.
"A little bit everywhere. We need to pick up a little bit of traction, a little bit of minimum speed. At high speed the car looked decent. A bit down the straight, so a little bit everywhere I would say."