Formula One world champion Max Verstappen will go into Sunday's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix keen to get over Red Bull's "double-DNF" hangover and get his title defense going after starting the season with a blank in Bahrain.

The Dutchman was on course to finish second at the Sakhir season opener after engaging in a race-long battle with Ferrari's winner Charles Leclerc.

But his car expired three laps from the end with Mexican teammate Sergio Perez following him into retirement on the final lap.

Red Bull identified a fuel system problem as the cause but has not given details about an issue that handed them their first double non-finish (DNF) since their home 2020 season-opening Austrian Grand Prix.

"Last weekend was a tough one for all of us to take, we win and lose as a team and we’ll come back stronger this week," said 24-year-old Verstappen.

"We have a good package and we were competitive in Bahrain, so there are positives to take from the weekend, and we have a very long season ahead."

Perez is confident there will be no repeat of the gremlins that put both their cars out. He said it stemmed from a standard-issue part but Red Bull's fuel system had not worked as expected.

"The team knows exactly what happened," he told Reuters in the Jeddah paddock on Thursday.

"We are pretty confident that we fixed the issue."

"It was a standard part but I think our system basically didn't work as expected. That's what caused the issue."

"We had a bit of bad luck, but it's okay," said Perez, who had moved up to third thanks to Verstappen's failure three laps from the finish, putting him on course to open his year with a podium until his own retirement on the final lap.

"It's a long season ahead. As long as we keep progressing and we keep improving the car, then we are in a good shape."

Verstappen will also want to banish the memory of last year's race around Jeddah's fast and unforgiving street circuit.

After another controversial collision between the pair, the Dutchman crashed in qualifying and finished a chaotic race second behind Briton Lewis Hamilton.

However, Hamilton is unlikely to be caught in such a tussle this year, with once-dominant Mercedes still wrestling with 2022's rules overhaul.

The constructors' champions were only third fastest in Bahrain behind Ferrari and Red Bull, although Hamilton still salvaged third thanks to the retirement of the Red Bulls.

"We know the W13 has potential," said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.

"We need to continue learning, find out how to unlock it, and maximize our opportunities for points in the meantime."

Resurgent Ferrari, meanwhile, will be out to prove that their season-opening one-two in Bahrain, ending a 45-race winless streak, was no fluke.

"I think we should not forget that they (Red Bull) are still the favorites," team boss Mattia Binotto said after Bahrain.

"Jeddah in a week’s time can be a completely different picture."

The Red Sea port city's 6.1 kilometers (3.8 miles) Corniche layout is made up mainly of high-speed sweeps hemmed in by blind corners and flat-out blasts along the city's waterfront.

Organizers have made changes to give drivers a better line of sight around the corners after safety concerns last year.

Vettel out again

Sunday's race will also be important for British team Aston Martin which is sponsored by Saudi energy company Aramco.

The team's four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel missed the Bahrain opener after testing positive for COVID-19.

The German driver will be replaced by compatriot Nico Hulkenberg once again on Sunday after Aston Martin said Vettel won’t be racing in Jeddah.

Aston Martin said the four-time world champion failed to recover from COVID-19 in time for the race but is expected to be fit for the Australian Grand Prix that is scheduled for April 8-10.

"@HulkHulkenberg will practice, qualify and race alongside @lance_stroll," Aston Martin said on Twitter. "Nico coped well in Bahrain and we are sure he will do likewise in Jeddah."