Helmut Marko already has the next Max Verstappen in his sights. The Austrian sees racing talent Rocco Coronel as a potential Formula 1 driver, he said recently in a documentary. Now that Verstappen’s future in the pinnacle of motorsport is increasingly under discussion — notably because of the new F1 era that kicks off in 2026 — talk about possible successors is growing louder. According to Marko, Coronel’s performances are promising.
Max Verstappen has enjoyed unprecedented success with Red Bull in recent years. The man from Limburg has claimed four world titles and notched up more than seventy wins. At the same time he’s been flirting ever more openly with other racing categories. Last year he made his debut in Germany’s NLS series and could line up this year for the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring. He also dreams of racing at Le Mans, ideally with a full F1 crew. Meanwhile he warns that the new regulatory cycle in Formula 1 is gradually pushing him toward the exit.
Rocco Coronel could potentially replace him down the line, Marko predicted. The 15-year-old Dutchman was taken into the Red Bull junior programme two years ago and has recently been making waves in Spanish Formula 4; last weekend he made his debut in the Winter Championship and immediately scored two podiums. Viaplay produced a documentary on the young talent, in which Marko appears and refers to a successful GP3 test in 2024 that ultimately secured Coronel a place in Red Bull’s development programme.
Maturity and self-belief
“For his age, Rocco performed exceptionally well,” Marko said. “A GP3 car is already pretty quick, but he felt comfortable in it straight away and immediately went quickest. I’m certain that if Max Verstappen ever stops, we’ll already have his successor lined up.” According to Marko, Coronel projects remarkable maturity and self-confidence. “He explained how he combines racing with school, and together we quickly mapped out a clear learning pathway.”
Coronel is grateful for the praise but isn’t getting ahead of himself. “Of course my goal is to reach Formula 1, but I’m not going to say now that I’ll definitely make it. You never know what can happen,” he replied. “Maybe I’ll end up stuck in Formula 3 or Formula 2. You never know.” On his contact with Helmut Marko he added: “I got a few WhatsApp messages from Marko. Normally I only get congratulations, so that we have a bit more contact now is a good sign. I hear he hardly ever messages,” he joked. “We’re taking good steps, but I want to keep improving.” Coronel remains part of the Red Bull junior programme, although Helmut Marko retired last year.
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