Helmut Marko expresses his confidence in Red Bull and in the final phase of the title fight between Max Verstappen and the two McLaren drivers. Following the disqualification of both Norris and Oscar Piastri in Las Vegas, the Dutchman now shares second place. He is 24 points behind World Championship leader Norris. The latter could secure the title in Qatar, but Marko hopes that Mercedes and Ferrari can prevent this.
Max Verstappen and his team are working on the final sprint race of the year this weekend; races will be held in Qatar on both Saturday and Sunday. As such, Verstappen can score a maximum of 33 points at the Losail International Circuit. This would only reduce his deficit to Norris by ‘just’ eight points, provided the Brit finishes second both times. According to Red Bull’s top advisor Helmut Marko, Verstappen therefore needs a little help from the other top teams; they could potentially snatch crucial points from McLaren.
Speaking to Sport.de, Marko specifically addresses Ferrari and Mercedes. Both teams could compete for podium places in Qatar, he explains. After that, Formula 1 travels to Abu Dhabi for the final race at Yas Marina. McLaren has been very strong there in the past, but Red Bull won’t give up easily. Marko sounds combative: “Last year we were significantly behind McLaren in Abu Dhabi, but we’ll find a solution. If we can be successful in Qatar, we’ll come up with something for Abu Dhabi.”
However, Red Bull and Max Verstappen will be hoping for a helping hand during the sprint weekend in Doha. “We see that Mercedes in particular has become stronger,” says Marko. “And at Ferrari, they can also compete at the front – if they have a good day. We are therefore hoping for some support from them.”
