Aston Martin and Fernando Alonso’s starring role in the Bahrain Grand Prix was one of the most celebrated stories of the 2023 season opener. But nobody at Red Bull seemed able to comment on that performance without throwing in a barb or two. Imitation is the biggest form of flattery, was team principal Christian Horner’s verdict. Sergio Perez said it was nice to see three Red Bulls on the podium. While Helmut Marko talked of Red Bull’s former head of aero Dan Fallows, now Aston Martin technical director, and a number of other employees moving to the team and having a good memory. He later clarified that these comments were a joke, following that up by again pointing to the similarity of the Aston Martin. A joke they may have been, but as the saying goes ‘many a true word is said in jest’. But how true is it to call the Aston Martin AMR23 a Red Bull clone and ascribe its early 2023 success to that? 00:00 Red Bull 'jokes' 00:56 The Pink Mercedes 02:22 The Green Red Bull? 06:12 Ambitious