Helmut Marko believes: “If Max Verstappen were in a Ferrari, Red Bull would be beatable”. Helmut Marko on the supremacy of Max Verstappen over the rest of the grid.

The Helmut Marko – Max Verstappen axis
When dark clouds began to gather over the future of Austrian former professional racing driver and a current Red Bull director Helmut Marko, Max Verstappen decided to staunchly defend the man who enabled him to enter Formula 1 at just 17 years old. The Dutchman has never hidden the importance of the Austrian advisor in the team, and the duo formed by Christian Horner and Chaleo Yoovidhya immediately backtracked and decided to abandon the idea of suspending and firing Helmut Marko.

The Clause and the Future
It’s no secret that Max Verstappen’s contract includes a clause linking his future at Red Bull to that of Helmut Marko, so any move by the ownership towards the Austrian advisor will have to be carefully considered.

During an interview with the national Austrian daily newspaper Oe24, Helmut Marko spoke about the future of the three-time world champion: “Max Verstappen wants to be in the fastest car, and Max in a Red Bull is an unbeatable combination, but if we put Max in a Ferrari, the story would be different. The 20-second advantage over Checo is in line with his driving superiority.” Helmut Marko then dismissed any possible alternative scenarios to the Max Verstappen – Red Bull pairing in 2025: “Max will be in the team that has the best car, and that is Red Bull. There’s nothing else on the horizon.” – the Austrian concluded.