The moment Helmut Marko "started believing" Max Verstappen's F1 title chances

Expectations within Red Bull were split on Saturday evening at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Team advisor Helmut Marko stated that the RB21 was run too low in terms of ride height during qualifying, causing the car to bottom out in Turn 9, but he insisted it wouldn’t be a handicap in the race. The Austrian still believed a podium was within reach for Max Verstappen from fifth on the grid. 

The reigning world champion himself strongly disagreed. When told about Marko’s optimism during the Dutch media round in the paddock, Verstappen replied: “No, the car just doesn’t work. And it won’t work tomorrow either. Let’s just leave it at that.” 

Marko told Verstappen to “think positive” 

The next day, Verstappen was back on the podium in Mexico City. When Motorsport.com pointed out that his prediction had come true, Marko laughed: “Yes, you see?” 

Normally, the 82-year-old Austrian would make a bet on such occasions, but in Mexico, no one at Red Bull was even willing to take him up on it.

“No, nobody wanted to bet with me, so it's not fun. Nobody believed in that.” That included Verstappen himself, Marko added: “I also told Max this morning, you have to think positive. And you saw what's possible.” 

Marko reiterated that ride height played a key role, adding: “Basically, we were too low in qualifying, but if you are driving with full tanks, you don't go so quick through the corners. And the downforce is not the same, so this touching wasn't there anymore.” 

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Hector Vivas / Getty Images

Soft-tyre stint “typical Verstappen” 

Besides these technical aspects, Marko said Verstappen himself made the difference. “I was the only positive one within the team. But we know that when Max is in a race, it's a different story. He forgets everything and he just goes.” 

Only the start was a moment of concern, particularly when Marko saw four cars charging into Turn 1 side by side. 

“That's Mexico. I think Max didn't have any room, and he didn't gain an advantage. I think the stewards did the right stuff.” On the incident with Hamilton, he 82-year-old Austrian laughed: “When they come together, there’s always action!” 

After completing the first stint on mediums, Verstappen switched to softs – and that, said Marko, led to the key part of the race. “I was scared that the times would drop. But he did his 1m21.2s more or less every lap, it was always within half a tenth [ of a second]. That's Verstappen, that’s typical Max.” 

Marko started believing in title chance after Monza 

The result cut Verstappen’s championship deficit to 36 points with four rounds remaining. Asked if he is beginning to believe that a comeback is really possible, Marko smiled: “I started believing after Monza already.” 

Still, he stressed – like Verstappen – that perfection is needed until the end of the season. “Every point is essential. As we know, we must do everything perfectly. In the last four races, there are 116 points to score. But we must be perfect, and we can't afford small mistakes in the set-up, which happened here.” 

When asked if Red Bull had expected Mexico to be the toughest of the remaining races, Marko responded: “No, we don't think like that. We believe that at every circuit, our car and our driver are good enough to compete on the front. Also, the lap time comparison with Norris was more or less on the same level in the second stint.” 

Looking ahead to the next race in Brazil, Marko thinks rain would help Verstappen’s mission: “I hope so. So maybe we get another Verstappen show.”