Why Isn’t Marko Worried About Verstappen Leaving Red Bull?

Helmut Marko remains calm amid Verstappen exit speculation, insisting Red Bull holds the edge in securing its star driver for the future.

Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s motorsport consultant, is aware that Max Verstappen could choose to join Aston Martin F1’s promising project. However, the Austrian remains confident in his team’s capabilities.

“We need to provide Max with a car that can win the world championship,” Marko stated. “If we do that, I’m not worried about a potential transfer.”

“After testing in Bahrain, I’m in good spirits. The sessions were positive, the car responds well to setup changes. We are still behind McLaren, but not by much—maybe two-tenths at most.”

He understands why other teams are trying to lure his driver: “Every top team boss aiming for the world title has to be interested in Max. But for now, we want to win our fifth title.”

Marko is also unconcerned about Verstappen’s upcoming fatherhood affecting his focus: “Don’t worry, fatherhood won’t impact him. He’ll stick to his program at home, even if a baby is crying!”

The Austrian then reflected on Bahrain’s winter testing and assessed Red Bull’s situation with the RB21: “It was incredibly cold there, which makes me appreciate spring in Graz even more.”

“From a sporting perspective, we can see that McLaren is leading. Behind them, there’s us, Ferrari, and Mercedes. These four teams will fight for the title. In any case, it will be much more exciting than in recent years.”

“We dominated the start of 2024. Then the problems came, but Max was so superior as a driver that he still won the championship convincingly. Now, Norris will be even more dangerous.”

“It will also be interesting to see what happens at Ferrari. We know Leclerc is a great qualifier, and Hamilton is still capable of extraordinary performances. Our goal is to win at least a fifth consecutive title. We didn’t manage that in the Vettel era.”

Christian Horner will have to return to court over allegations of harassment and inappropriate behavior, and Marko hopes this won’t disrupt the team this season.

When asked about the matter, the Austrian doesn’t attempt to defend Horner and simply wants the situation to settle quickly: “Because English courts have very long deadlines. But I hope things will calm down by then, that there will be a resolution—meaning an amicable settlement.”