Helmut Marko believes Red Bull can outpace McLaren this season, with Max Verstappen’s form and car upgrades setting the tone.
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko believes the team has what it takes to go toe-to-toe with McLaren in the 2025 Formula 1 season — and maybe even come out on top. After a strong showing in Saudi Arabia, Marko is feeling optimistic, largely thanks to improved car performance and, of course, the presence of Max Verstappen.
“We’ve made real progress since Bahrain,” Marko said after the race in Jeddah. “This track suits us better — with faster corners, it plays to our strengths. But more importantly, the car is becoming more predictable and works across a wider range of conditions. That’s a good sign. Our race pace was right there, and tyre wear was evenly matched with McLaren. That gives us confidence.”
Red Bull is planning incremental updates leading up to a significant upgrade package expected at Imola. Marko doesn’t expect a magic bullet — just steady improvements.
“We’ll keep taking small steps,” he explained. “By the time we get to Imola, I believe we’ll have the pace to challenge McLaren properly. You won’t see one massive leap, but the combined effect of these updates should pay off. Imola will be a real benchmark.”
One thing that remains unchanged? Red Bull’s ultimate weapon — Max Verstappen.
“When the car is in the right window, we’re just as quick — and we’ve got Max,” Marko said. “When things aren’t working, like in Bahrain, it’s tough. But we’re working hard to stay competitive and make sure we keep scoring points in the meantime.”
Marko also pointed out that Verstappen could take advantage of any internal rivalry at McLaren. With Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris both pushing hard, the dynamics could play in Red Bull’s favor.
“They’re not going to follow team orders that easily,” he said with a smile. “We’d be happy to see one of them win one weekend, and the other the next. That kind of back-and-forth could open the door for us.”
Looking back at the Saudi Grand Prix, Marko said finishing just behind Piastri was a strong result — especially on a smooth, high-speed track that suited McLaren well.
“Given everything that happened, coming in second and staying close to Oscar was a positive result,” he said. “If you’d told us that on Friday, we’d have taken it. Sure, we’ve still got work to do on rougher circuits, but our setup was spot-on and our race pace was strong.”
After a tough start in Bahrain, Red Bull ended the triple-header on a high note.
“It was a solid weekend to close out this opening run of races,” Marko concluded. “Now we just need to keep the momentum going. The signs are promising — and we’re not backing down.”
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Marko Confident Red Bull Can Beat McLaren This Season Marko Confident Red Bull Can Beat McLaren This Season
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