Helmut Marko recently took part in the “Spring in the Square” event at Vienna’s Rathausplatz, where he was officially named ambassador of the Red Bull Ring circuit, which returned to the Formula 1 calendar in 2014 as the Austrian Grand Prix venue.
Marko on Verstappen and Lambiase: “Like an old married couple”
Speaking to Motorsport-Magazine.com, Dr. Helmut Marko analyzed the internal situation at Red Bull Racing and addressed the tensions that may have contributed to Gianpiero Lambiase’s decision to leave the Milton Keynes-based team and join McLaren by 2028.
The Austrian explained: “Gianpiero Lambiase represents a key factor in the development and setup of the car. He did not always agree with the technical department and eventually chose to take a different path. With Verstappen, they were like an old married couple. That is why, even if they often had disagreements, Gianpiero Lambiase remains a significant loss.”
Red Bull took the wrong direction, Verstappen cannot perform miracles
The former Red Bull advisor has never been shy about expressing his opinions. According to Helmut Marko, Gianpiero Lambiase’s departure will certainly have an impact on the team, especially at a time when Red Bull appears to be experiencing a period of instability, marked by questionable technical decisions and growing frustration from Max Verstappen regarding the current regulatory cycle.
“They had a good start in Melbourne, but then they went in the wrong direction. I am confident they will recover, as they always do,” he stated.
Helmut Marko also emphasized that even a driver of Max Verstappen’s caliber has limitations when the car is not competitive, a situation that can also affect his confidence and overall performance.
“The Max factor only works if he has confidence in the car. At the moment he does not. He talks more about the Nürburgring than about Formula 1. Max is a pure-blood racer. The current regulations are extremely focused on energy management, which only works in synergy with software engineers. The driver has been stripped of his dominant role,” Marko explained, adding that Verstappen is clearly affected by this shift.
He concluded that the four-time World Champion “cannot perform miracles” when the machinery is not at a competitive level.
Helmut Marko’s candid assessment paints a picture of a Red Bull team at a crossroads, grappling with the departure of a technical pillar and a star driver struggling to find his rhythm under the 2026 rules. The loss of the “old married couple” dynamic between Lambiase and Verstappen removes a layer of stability that was essential for navigating technical disputes. As Red Bull looks to correct its developmental trajectory, the challenge will be to restore Verstappen’s confidence in a car that currently feels more like a software puzzle than a racing machine. Whether the team can bridge this gap before Lambiase officially dons McLaren colors remains the defining question of their season.
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