Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has admitted that Max Verstappen needs “some help from McLaren” in order to stay in the Formula 1 title fight.
The Dutchman will line up on pole position for Saturday’s United States Grand Prix Sprint Race, having snatched top spot away from Lando Norris in the final seconds of qualifying.
Verstappen has been in mesmeric form since the resumption from the summer break, finishing no lower than second in four races, two of which were dominant victories.
It has given Verstappen an outside chance of retaining his Drivers’ Championship, but Marko has conceded that this remarkable turnaround may have come about with too few races left to run, intimating that perhaps another intra-team clash from the papaya squad may be needed to aid his chance.
“Since Zandvoort, we were always fighting for P1, P2. So the direction is okay. Unfortunately, this turnaround came a little bit late,” he said.
“All this [discussion about] medium speed, the temperature and all these stories, they don’t count anymore. We are there.
“And if in one corner we may be [off the pace], it’s going within thousands of a second. It’s not like it was before, half a second or so in some sectors.
“It shows that our car made a big step forward and Max, of course, is using it to the maximum. If we would have made this turnaround earlier, the championship would look different.
“I think we can’t do it on our own. We need some help from McLaren. It’s not impossible.”
‘Super’ lap by Verstappen was achieved in the final sector
Verstappen, in his usual style, blitzed the Circuit of the Americas in the last few seconds of the final part of qualifying to take pole and deny McLaren a front row lock-out.
Marko was full of praise for his driver’s lap, explaining how the final part of the lap was where he made up all the time required to steal top spot.
“[It was] super,” the Austrian said. “In Sector 3, he made the pole. Turn 1, he went sideways, but even so he was quicker. He was sliding a bit too much, I guess, but unbelievable lap and sector 3. It’s up to him and he delivers.”
Marko predicted that Saturday’s weather will be “even hotter,” admitting: “That normally favours McLaren,” but added: “But I hope when Max stays ahead that he can manage it.”
READ MORE – Max Verstappen casts verdict on being the hunter in F1 title race
Discussion about this post