Helmut Marko reveals “masterstroke” that allowed Max Verstappen to win F1 title in Las Vegas. The comments of Helmut Marko after the 2024 F1 Las Vegas GP.

A different Max Verstappen for his 4th F1 title
A fifth-place finish was enough to mathematically secure the championship over Lando Norris, even with a car not always capable of dominating the F1 title race. Observant fans would have noticed the composure with which Max Verstappen managed the final laps on the Strip: while running second behind the untouchable George Russell, the Dutchman shifted to a championship-focused mindset. He was unusually restrained in his defense against attacks from Lewis Hamilton and the two Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc. This mature approach earned praise from Helmut Marko after the Las Vegas GP.

The Red Bull team advisor highlighted how Super Max brought the car home in fifth place, restraining his instinct to maximize results at all costs by pushing for a higher finish. Instead, while ahead of the Ferrari drivers, Verstappen asked his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, for advice on how to approach defending third place, receiving a simple “it’s up to you” in response.

Helmut Marko after the Las Vegas GP
“After what we saw at Monza,” Helmut Marko said post-race, referencing Red Bull’s struggles in the Italian GP, which featured similar setups and aerodynamic configurations, “I was very skeptical. But then, fortunately, we managed to turn things around with the setup, and during the race, Max delivered a tactical masterstroke. In the opening laps, he showed what pace was possible, but then he focused entirely on winning the championship. He brought the car home in style, authoritatively.” – the Red Bull boss pointed out.

“There were some races,” the 81-year-old former Austrian driver continued, reflecting on the highs and lows of the season, “where our car wasn’t the fastest, but Max still managed to win. Monza was undoubtedly the lowest point of the season, yet he always extracted the maximum possible. He kept doing it race after race, never having a single incident (though one might recall the contact with Norris in Mexico, which led to a double penalty). Even when we were only the fourth fastest at times, he still managed to stabilize or extend the gap whenever possible.”