What the GPS data tells us about Red Bull’s early advantage

It’s moments before Kevin Magnussen clonks the wall to rip off a tyre on lap 54 of 58 in the 2023 Australian Grand Prix. The shredded rubber will shortly result in a second red flag to cause the contest to descend into chaos. Anyhow, at this point, Max Verstappen leads Lewis Hamilton by almost 8.5 seconds. That margin pushes Red Bull more than a lap of its home race ahead of any rival Formula 1 team so far this season.

Defending two-time champion Verstappen won…