Mar.6 (GMM) With the 2012 season now looming, Dr Helmut Marko has admitted Red Bull is "slightly ahead" of its rivals.

February's official testing season is over, leaving competitors and pundits to predict the likely pecking order less than two weeks before the Melbourne grid forms.

"I see it like this," Red Bull consultant and driver manager Marko told Austrian television Servus TV.

"We are slightly ahead, then there are McLaren and Mercedes -- I don't know exactly, but not far away," he said.

On the other hand, Marko said Ferrari does not appear an immediate challenger.

"At Jerez, their car was very bad. It has improved since then, but as we speak, Ferrari, I believe, are not in a position to go onto the podium," said the Austrian.

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