Helmut Marko is a popular figure in the Formula 1 paddock, so it is no surprise that interviews with the Austrian specialist appear in various publications on an almost daily basis. In the latest issue, Marco spoke more about Red Bull Racing’s prospects at the Hungarian Grand Prix and the possibility of Max Verstappen moving to Mercedes in 2025.
Q: After George Russell’s win you said you would bounce back at Silverstone. It seems we now have to recover in Budapest?
Helmut Marko: It won’t be so easy to do. At Silverstone we didn’t have the fastest car again. We have one problem, if not more, but we keep increasing our lead in the championship after every race, so everything is fine.
Q: Max Verstappen is less calm though. He says the car is too slow and he won’t win the title…
Helmut Marko: It is clear that Max wants to win, but races like Silverstone have a positive effect on the sporting image of Formula 1. Otherwise it would be boring.
Q: If Mercedes has the fastest car at the end of this year, will Max accept Toto Wolff’s offer to switch?
Helmut Marko: If, if, if. This is all speculation. I don’t get into speculation. We are focused on winning the championship. And we need Sergio Perez to get back to his normal form.
Q: If Perez doesn’t improve, Red Bull will have to worry about the Constructors’ Championship. Do you have an explanation why Sergio is so clearly inferior to Max?
Helmut Marko: Besides all the failures, he also had psychological problems.
Q: Rumor has it that there is a clause in his contract that if he is more than a hundred points behind Max after the race in Spa, he may find himself without a place in the team.
Helmut Marko: Almost all top riders have a performance clause in their contract.
Q: Does this mean you have no confidence in Perez continuing to drive for Red Bull in 2025?
Helmut Marko: Are there 100% guarantees in Formula 1?
Q: So the question is about Verstappen’s future. Max wants to drive the fastest car. Could it turn out that Mercedes has the fastest car in 2025?
Helmut Marko: You’re looking too far ahead. They don’t have the fastest car yet, but the cool weather at Silverstone played into Mercedes’ hands.
Q: It will be hot in Budapest. Will Mercedes have problems?
Helmut Marko: They usually have a hard time in the heat. But is there really anything predictable this season? We go through such ups and downs that sometimes we get lost.
Q: You’ve never praised Lewis Hamilton like this before. What’s this connected to?
Helmut Marko: He ran the race brilliantly. It’s incredible how he managed to keep the Soft tyres.
Q: Can we now call his decision to move to Ferrari a mistake?
Helmut Marko: I can’t judge, but I’m also interested in the answer to this question. Ferrari has lost an important collaborator: Enrico Cardile.
Let’s see how the situation with Adrian Newey develops. He has several offers from leading teams, including England, and can choose which team he joins.
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.
