Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says that his team's charge in Australia was heavily thwarted by the way the Pirelli tyres performed.
The Milton Keynes outfit were expected to dominate proceedings, with Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber sharing the front row. However, the race did not go according to plan for the defending Constructors' Champions, with Vettel forced to settle for third while Webber could only manage a sixth-place finish.
Asked where it went wrong for his team, Horner was in now doubt: "One simple word: tyres", he said.
"We just weren't in any optimum window with the tyres. For whatever reason - the conditions and so on - we were just a bit out on set-up or whatever on the tyre for these conditions," he is quoted as saying by ESPNF1.
"It was apparent from about lap four or five; Seb got a good start, built up the lead that we wanted and then it was quite clear that the car was pretty heavy on the tyre. That forced us to then go down the route of a three-stop and when you run in to traffic that puts more stress in to the tyre.
"I think probably the conditions were a significant factor and we were just out of the window, so all things considered third place is actually a very, very good result. Kimi was the only driver/car combination that could make a two-stop really work and it was quite obvious from about half distance that was what they were doing. Just to emphasise that point he did fastest lap on a tyre that was older than we could have dreamt going anywhere near."
Despite this disappointment, Horner is feeling upbeat heading to Malaysia this week.
"I think we've learnt an awful lot and hopefully it won't be quite as chilly next weekend," said the Briton.
"The really positive things are that we've come here, we've got a quick car, we've qualified on pole.
"I think we're only going to get a true picture of form after about four or five races when we've been to different venues, different tracks, different asphalt surfaces. Then we'll get a true picture of form but it's been a very positive weekend for us."
