Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has high praise for driver Max Verstappen. Amid a tumultuous season, the Dutchman secured his fourth Formula 1 title. His rivals often had faster cars, but Verstappen distinguished himself with his brilliant driving style. According to Marko, the 27-year-old driver has further refined his skills, but this was rarely highlighted in the media.
“Max (Verstappen) has matured further this year,” Helmut Marko wrote in a recent column for Speedweek. “He was mentally the best, both as a driver and in one-on-one battles.” Despite the RB20 often being outperformed by the competition’s cars, Verstappen managed to hold his own. A new challenge, as he had a predominantly dominant car in recent years.
“He has learned to do everything necessary to win,” Marko explained. “If someone had said at the beginning of the year that Max Verstappen would let two Ferraris and Lewis Hamilton pass because he had to think about the world championship, that would have been dismissed as nonsense. But he did it, precisely because he knew exactly what he had to focus on.” Verstappen’s main competitor was McLaren’s Lando Norris, who posed a threat to the title since the Miami GP.
‘Psychological Humiliation’
Marko highlighted Max Verstappen‘s brilliant comeback during the São Paulo Grand Prix as the final blow for Norris. In the pouring rain, the Dutchman moved up seventeen places and secured his victory. “In 2016, he had already shown a similar feat under the same conditions,” said Marko. “But then he made a few mistakes. This time it was truly flawless – it proves once again that he has nerves of steel. Those numerous fastest laps he drove were a psychological humiliation for the competition; he outperformed everyone and proved once again why he is one of the best in the sport.”
In the media, Verstappen received less favorable coverage, Marko recalled. Particularly in the British press, the Red Bull driver was criticized, rightly or wrongly. “It is true that there is not necessarily an objective balance in the English media,” Marko wrote critically. “Of course, it is also logical that ‘the newcomer’ or the potential star gets more sympathy than the established champion. But fortunately, Verstappen doesn’t care about that,” Marko assured. “He is not concerned with the ratings of the journalists or any degree of popularity. He simply always says what he thinks, and I think that’s right.”
