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Helmut Marko’s Red Bull upgrade news could be just what Max Verstappen needs before the Austrian GP

Originally posted on HITC | By Shay Rogers | Last updated Jun 25, 2025 9:47 AM ET

Max Verstappen heads into this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix with a confidence boost — and not just because the Red Bull Ring is effectively his home track.

He sits 43 points behind Oscar Piastri in the title race, but Red Bull’s latest news gives reason to believe the gap may soon start shrinking.

After winning the last race in Canada, Verstappen returns to a circuit where he has a great record. Red Bull, though, has struggled at times this season to provide him with a car capable of fighting at the front every weekend.

Even so, Verstappen remains the bookmakers’ favourite to win his fifth drivers’ title in a row, though Piastri and Lando Norris are not far behind in the betting.

If Red Bull can build on their progress, Verstappen may feel more confident about sticking with the team into the new era of regulations.

Pirelli plans to take an aggressive approach to 2026 tyre compounds, introducing several new soft compounds and pulling harder ones.

Helmut Marko brings Verstappen Red Bull title hope

Speaking to Kleine Zeitung, the 82-year-old informed them that there will be new upgrades for Verstappen, which is something he will love to hear as the title fight intensifies.

“We’re getting an update for Austria, which will then be further refined for Silverstone,” he said.

“But if that doesn’t work, things will get difficult in the World Championship. And it’s not as if things aren’t difficult enough already.”

Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images

It comes just days after Christian Horner’s Red Bull update was music to Verstappen’s ears, confirming that he has no intentions of leaving the team and joining Ferrari.

Everyone is aware that the next two races are a ‘crucial’ exam for Red Bull and will indicate whether they can be fast at most circuits for the rest of the year.

Max Verstappen can still win the 2025 title

Since Formula 1 introduced the modern points scoring system in 2010 (25 points for a win), Verstappen holds the record for the most points recovered to win a title.

After a very unreliable start to the 2022 season, Verstappen clawed back Charles Leclerc’s 46-point advantage to win in dominant style. It wasn’t really close, either.

If anyone has proven that the impossible is possible time and time again, it’s the man who is aiming to become just the second driver in history (after Michael Schumacher) to win five titles in a row.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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