Will we see another great comeback from Max Verstappen in the drivers’ championship after the summer break? A year ago, the Dutch world champion surprised friend and foe by closing in on more than a hundred championship points in the second half of the season on eventual champion Lando Norris. Former Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, however, does not think his former pupil can repeat the trick: ‘The competition is too strong this year’.
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Shortly after the Dutch GP at Zandvoort a year ago, Max Verstappen was still trailing by 104 championship points behind then championship leader Oscar Piastri. After the final race in Abu Dhabi, this gap was reduced to just two points behind eventual champion Lando Norris. A year later, the gap between Verstappen and current championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli is 110 points.
Still, former Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko does not expect a repeat of Verstappen’s impressive comeback after the summer break. According to the Austrian, there are a few differences between the current situation at Red Bull and that of a season ago. “They are no longer consistently fast,” Marko tells Kronen Zeitung. “In addition, the cooperation between Max and his engineers also does not seem to be going very well.”
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‘The competition is too strong this year’
There are also several contenders this season, Marko thinks. “The competition from McLaren and Ferrari is too strong,” he continues. “And the car is also far too unstable. I certainly wouldn’t dare to bet on this.” Finally, the former advisor is asked about Verstappen’s Formula 1 future. Although Marko knows nothing about what his former pupil will decide, he hopes: “Really sincerely that he stays with Red Bull”.
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Read everything about the Dutch GP in Zandvoort here
