Marko mocks McLaren: “The funniest moment was when they asked Lando to overtake Max”
Max Verstappen has cut the gap to the top of the Drivers’ Championship to just 24 points following the double disqualification of the McLarens and his victory in Las Vegas. With the season winding down, it’s time for battles not only on track but also in words and communications.
In this arena, Red Bull Racing has arguably its most effective weapon: Helmut Marko. The Austrian team advisor has never shied away from speaking bluntly in situations like this. Sharp, ruthless, and sometimes more cutting than a finely honed razor, Helmut Marko is a powerful communicator whose remarks inherently unsettle competitors.
Even last night, the former F1 driver delivered his first—likely of many—stabs at the already crowned Constructors’ Champion team.
“Max was able to maintain his pace and avoid being caught by anyone behind him, while also preserving the tires,” Helmut Marko told Sky Sports Germany. “We also stayed out longer than everyone else. Clearly, we knew our rivals’ tire situation, and the funniest part was the message McLaren sent to Norris: ‘Attack Max and overtake him.’ At that point, Max responded with a faster lap and repeated it over and over, lap after lap, making it very clear.”
“He did it with incredible confidence. We didn’t have any kind of problem. Lando, on the other hand, had some issues at the end (it turned out he was trying to preserve the plank and avoid disqualification, which he didn’t succeed in, ed.) because he started going two seconds slower per lap. Unfortunately, no one behind him took advantage of it.”
“But from the very first lap, I’d say Max won right at the start. He took first in turn one, forcing Norris into a mistake.”
Laurent Mekies, after the race, confirmed Helmut Marko’s assessment, though in a much less irreverent way: “I believe Max had much more pace than what we saw. There were a couple of times in the second stint where we asked him to increase the pace when Lando started pushing. And every time we needed it, he had no problem doing so.”
“I think it was yet another masterclass from him, without a doubt. In a weekend like this, where everyone came in without real preparation due to the conditions, Max made the difference in tire management, execution, and race pace.” – he pointed out at the end of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
“In terms of driving and what he does, I think Max is even better than what we’ve seen. There have been many examples this year. Now we know we struggled in the first part of the season. The guys did a fantastic job working on the car and making it competitive again. Now we can fight for victories once more. Max has done exceptional things on top of exceptional things. That’s how it is.” – the Red Bull team principal concluded.
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