Helmut Marko, at the end of the Mexican Grand Prix, shared his thoughts on Max Verstappen’s recovery drive and the late Virtual Safety Car that prevented the Red Bull driver from taking second place from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
Max Verstappen was once again one of the main stars of the Mexico City race. After a tense and risky start, during which the Dutch driver came close to ending his race at the very first corner, he managed to recover and cross the finish line in third place. With this podium, Verstappen reduced his deficit in the drivers’ championship from 40 to 36 points. However, according to Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, the gap could have been even smaller if not for the late Virtual Safety Car caused by Carlos Sainz Jr., which forced Verstappen to finish the race behind Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari.
The “gift” from Sainz
After the race, Helmut Marko spoke to Sky Sport Germany, praising Max Verstappen’s comeback performance: “Max had an extraordinary recovery. On average, he was five or six tenths quicker. We were absolutely convinced that he would have taken second place.”
For that reason, Marko was clearly not pleased with the Virtual Safety Car that appeared in the penultimate lap of the Mexican Grand Prix, which he sarcastically described as a “gift” from Sainz to Ferrari: “But Sainz made a belated farewell gift to Ferrari,” he commented with irony.
The Red Bull advisor added: “We knew that in race trim we would be stronger. Max is like a hunting hound: when he sees his target, everything else disappears.”
Red Bull still believes in the championship
Despite only four races and two Sprint events remaining in the season, Red Bull has not given up on its title ambitions. Marko made it clear that the team still believes in its chances: “There are 116 points left, and the fact that one team may have an advantage on a specific circuit is no longer decisive. Our chances are still alive. I hope the two McLaren drivers continue to respect their rule of loyalty. We have the advantage that, for us, everything depends on Max. The opportunity is still there.”
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