Helmut Marko naturally stands by his protégé after the crash between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris – but he doesn’t take Red Bull out of the criticism either
This was definitely not how Red Bull had imagined the big home race in Spielberg: Under the eyes of Red Bull supremo Oliver Mintzlaff, it’s not the next Orange Bull party – but a row over world champion Max Verstappen
Everything was in place for the Dutchman’s next triumph, “only something extraordinary” could stop Verstappen in Spielberg, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko had predicted before the Austrian Grand Prix.
The extraordinary had a name on Sunday: Lando Norris – or rather the ferocity of the duel between the Briton and Verstappen, which ultimately cost them both the race.
“I would say that they both drove unnecessarily hard,” commented Marko on ServusTV after the race, without absolving his team of blame. “Perhaps we can be blamed: We knew that an investigation with track limits was underway against Lando. But we didn’t know if and how he would be punished. So with hindsight, we could have said: Okay, let him go.”
However, the man from Graz knows better than anyone that this is not exactly Verstappen’s nature – so it came about as it had to: “It was a very tough duel, and I think that some of them overshot the mark,” says Marko on Sky about the collision, “which set both of them back. Lando was completely thrown out of the race and Max was robbed of victory.”
Marko confirms: “That was unnecessarily harsh from both drivers, it could have been solved differently,” but adds: “I see what Max did as more within the limit than what Lando did.”
“It was a shame, because it was a great fight,” says Marko, “until it somehow degenerated into who was pushing who more, who was breaking more track limits, instead of concentrating on finishing fairly.” The only consolation for the Austrian: “Let’s look on the bright side, we have extended our championship lead, both in the constructors’ championship and in the drivers’ championship. “
Marko: “Here for victories, not for entertainment “
However, Marko can only take limited pleasure in the good entertainment provided by the battle with the knife between his teeth: “We are here for victories and not for entertainment. The audience certainly enjoyed it, but would certainly have been much happier if Max had won,” believes the man from Graz.
However, Marko also looks down on himself and his team: “Several factors cost us the victory: The fact that the pit stop went wrong, which caused Lando to slip into the DRS window. In addition, our assumption that the hard tire would be the better choice in hot weather – that wasn’t the case, the temperatures were lower,” says Marko.
“That means that Lando had fresh tires in the last stint and we had used tires, which was also a factor.” Marko continued: “In addition, he also braked in turn four on the first lap (on the tires). All of this together made it possible.”
Red Bull’s motorsport consultant does not want to judge where the dispute leaves Verstappen and Norris on a personal level: “I don’t know whether Lando is flying with Max, or what the situation is, whether there is an opportunity for a conversation. But the two of them will have to work that out,” says Marko, adding: “Otherwise, they are friends. I hope they stay that way.”
One thing is certain for the Red Bull consultant, however, after a “weekend full of emotions”. Marko: “It shows: You can’t afford to make the slightest mistake … then it gets tight.” Or, as was the case on Sunday in Spielberg, too close
