Helmut Marko Gives Ultimatum to Red Bull After Max Verstappen’s P2 at dutch gp

Red Bull’s pace at the Dutch GP seemed to be better than their performances at the previous race weekends. Max Verstappen managed to qualify in P3 and ultimately finished in P2 after Lando Norris‘ DNF. However, despite a positive looking finish, Verstappen wasn’t so impressed with the results and called for improvements in the car. Now, Dr. Helmut Marko weighed in on the matter and the team’s mediocre outing in Zandvoort.

Max Verstappen initially overtook Lando Norris for the P2 spot and held onto it for a few laps. However, Red Bull was clearly overpowered by McLaren as Verstappen couldn’t do anything to hold onto his spot. The Dutchman had then declared that the team just wasn’t quick enough to continue fighting for the driver’s title as he has crushing hopes of winning them now.

If it weren’t for Lando Norris’ DNF following an engine failure, Max Verstappen would’ve been P3 in the pecking order. Speaking on race pace, Helmut Marko wasn’t so impressed by the team and their performance at the Dutch GP. Marko insisted that Verstappen’s P2 finish was indeed surprising as he achieved the results in a fortunate way.

Surprising, It came about in a fortunate way, but still. 

Helmut Marko told Sky Germany

Helmut Marko pointed out that Red Bull’s difference to McLaren in terms of pace was huge as the former were never the favorite to win the Dutch GP. Marko emphasized that Milton Keynes’ pace was almost a lap slower when Woking was pushing the car fully. As such, the Austrian reckoned that the team had a lot of work to do, and soon, if they wanted to return to their winning ways in Formula 1.

The difference with McLaren in the race was huge. When they wanted to, they were driving away at a second a lap. That shows we still have a lot of work to do.

Helmut Marko added

Max Verstappen asserts Dutch GP was ‘not a fight’ with McLaren

Max Verstappen couldn’t do anything to save his P2 spot in the beginning of the race, or even fight with Oscar Piastri for a race win during the safety car restart in the final stages. Verstappen came clean on his race pace and how they were far off from contending for the victory against McLaren.