Helmut Marko avoided a direct answer to the question about Max Verstappen’s possible move to Mercedes and suggested that Toto Wolff would be asked about it, so the intrigue remains even if it was said with a humorous intonation.
Question: There are rumors going around about Max Verstappen’s possible transfer to Mercedes. Are they true?
Helmut Marko: Just ask Toto Wolff…
Question: He says that Mercedes has always been interested in Verstappen, but also emphasizes that they have such a super talented young driver in Andrea Kimi Antonelli, and that he also has good contacts with Vettel. Can you imagine Sebastian actually returning to Formula 1?
Helmut Marko: He would like that. Vettel is a big name from the past, Antonelli could be a big name in the future. But no one can perform at the level of Max Verstappen.
Question: You know Vettel well from the time he drove for Red Bull. Do you believe he can perform at championship level again?
Helmut Marko: Yes. On the one hand, he has been retired for a long time, on the other hand, he is only 36 years old, so it is just a matter of motivation. Anyway, these are all interesting scenarios.
Question: Could it happen that you move to another team with Verstappen?
Helmut Marko: I’m not thinking about it yet. Let’s wait and see what the future has in store for us.
Question: Is there a chance that Red Bull will extend the contract with Sergio Perez at the end of this year?
Helmut Marko: It is too early to speculate on this subject. In general, all this talk about contracts started with Hamilton’s decision to move to Ferrari, which was announced very early on. But Mercedes and Red Bull can afford to take their time on personnel decisions.
Q: Do Carlos Sainz’s confident performances surprise you?
Helmut Marko: Sainz has a strong character, he is an ambitious driver, his motivation is at a very high level. Firstly, due to the fact that he is about to say goodbye to Ferrari, and secondly, these are the consequences of a recent operation. Now everything has come together for him and he is performing very well.
Question: Which Ferrari driver do you like better?
Helmut Marko: Charles Leclerc was certainly better last year, but I would say Sainz is superior to him now.
Question: How did Max react to the meeting in Melbourne?
Helmut Marko: I went skiing because Japan has the best ski slopes in the world. But I’ve already told you too much…
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
