Red Bull’s longtime advisor Helmut Marko has set an ambitious goal for Max Verstappen: securing a fifth consecutive world title in 2025, surpassing a milestone that Sebastian Vettel could not achieve. While Verstappen has already claimed four consecutive championships, Vettel ended his winning streak with Red Bull in 2013 and was unable to secure a fifth consecutive title.
Last November, Verstappen reached a historic milestone: clinching his fourth consecutive title in Las Vegas with two races to spare, matching Vettel’s record. Like Verstappen, Vettel had dominated the sport for four consecutive years, but his streak ended in 2014 due to regulatory changes that disadvantaged Red Bull.
In 2014, the introduction of V6 turbo engines and new technological regulations hampered Red Bull, which partnered with Renault, while Mercedes and its turbo engine dominated. Challenges with engine reliability and increased competition were key factors in Red Bull’s decline. According to Helmut Marko, these circumstances made it impossible for Sebastian Vettel to secure a fifth consecutive title, a feat now within Max Verstappen’s reach.
Helmut Marko’s Hope for 2025
Despite acknowledging that not all goals were met this year, Marko remains optimistic. “Certainly, not everything went as planned, but my priority was to stay healthy and support Verstappen in his achievements,” the advisor stated. Now, Marko sets his sights on a new milestone: “I hope that next year we can achieve the fifth consecutive world title. While it wasn’t possible in 2014, the regulations are more stable now.”
Regulatory Stability and Increased Competition
Unlike 2014, when regulatory changes created uncertainty, next year will see no significant adjustments to engine regulations. This should benefit Verstappen, but Marko warns that competition will be fiercer. “The rules will remain the same, but this also means all other teams will be more competitive. We expect a very close season among the top teams.”
Next year, the battle is expected to be intense among Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, and McLaren. Only McLaren has retained the same driver lineup. At Red Bull, Liam Lawson will replace Sergio Perez. Ferrari has recruited Lewis Hamilton to partner with Charles Leclerc, while Mercedes has promoted Kimi Antonelli to replace Hamilton. These strategic moves will heighten competition even further.
Max Verstappen the Favorite?
Despite changes at rival teams, Helmut Marko sees Max Verstappen as the clear favorite for the title. “Max is our undisputed leader, and with our lineup, I don’t see many internal rivals,” he said. However, other teams will likely experience internal battles: between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at Ferrari, Oscar Piastri refusing a second-fiddle role at McLaren, and Kimi Antonelli needing to prove himself at Mercedes. Helmut Marko, however, foresees no internal conflicts at Red Bull, with Liam Lawson ready to support Max Verstappen.
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