Red Bull is setting modest expectations for Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix, with Dr Helmut Marko conceding that a win may be out of reach.
Despite hopes that the front wing flex regulation change taking effect in Barcelona might help level the playing field, the team has not seen a significant boost in performance.
"I never really expected much," said Max Verstappen, who lines up third on the grid and sits third in the championship, speaking to Viaplay.
"Of course McLaren's wing deflected a lot," he added, "but that is also a balance thing, and you also have setup options to deal with that.
"When you are as fast as they are, this is only a small part of it."
Marko, 82, echoed the sentiment, admitting to some disappointment following qualifying.
"The gap to pole position is a little bigger than we expected," he said. "At the same time, we're only a tenth of a second behind (Lando) Norris.
"For the race, we're maybe not optimistic about winning, but a podium finish should be possible."
According to the Austrian, Red Bull's persistent issue is the car's loss of tyre grip in warmer conditions.
"I don't know how we're going to solve that," he admitted.
