Former Red Bull senior adviser Helmut Marko fears Max Verstappen will miss out on the title again in 2026. The Dutchman has a new power unit this year, developed in a collaboration between Red Bull and automaker Ford. Questions remain about the competitiveness of the various teams and the eventual pecking order, but according to Marko, drivers with Mercedes engines currently look to have the best cards.
This season the Formula 1 regulations are being overhauled. Several teams are calling it the most radical set of changes ever. There are also fears the new rules will widen the performance gaps again. Many insiders worry about a repeat of 2014, when Mercedes proved far stronger than the rest of the field after the introduction of the hybrid V6 engines. Helmut Marko also fears history will repeat itself and that Max Verstappen will miss out on the title again this year.
Gaps of several seconds?
“I hope it won’t be as bad as in 2014, when Mercedes had an enormous advantage over everyone,” he continued. But recent rumours do not bode well. “What we’re hearing now is that Mercedes is furthest ahead in engine development. But I think the time gaps will become even larger, because chassis and battery performance will also be crucial. So many elements come together at once that I fear in some cases we’re talking about gaps of several seconds.”
If the gaps grow too large, Marko expects the FIA will step in, although he doubts how much effect that will have. “You can’t change the power‑unit regulations from one day to the next.” Still, he sees an upside. “The driver will play a decisive role in how he deploys energy and when he harvests it,” he added. “I think that’s a big advantage for Max, because he can drive extremely fast and think at the same time. But a veteran like Fernando Alonso could benefit from that as well. The driver will therefore become even more important than he already is.” Nevertheless, Helmut Marko remains pessimistic about Verstappen’s title chances. “I’m afraid that honour will go to a driver with a Mercedes power unit.”
