Red Bull’s senior advisor Helmut Marko has said that Max Verstappen’s dominance in Formula 1 this season is not down to the car that he drives, but his unmatched skill as a driver, claiming the Dutchman would easily secure pole in the slowest car on the grid – but clearly, not everyone agrees.
Max Verstappen has enjoyed an unmatched 2023, taking P1 in all but two of his races this year in the unrelenting RB19, missing out only to his Red Bull teammate Sergio Pérez. Such is Red Bull’s dominance this season, that Verstappen’s 314 points from 10 wins would also put him ahead of every other race team in the Constructors’ – all on his own.
Now, as the Formula 1 season is taking a mandated – albeit well-earned – summer break, Red Bull’s omnipresent advisor Helmut Marko has been making ridiculous claims about Verstappen’s pace this year, saying that his feats would be replicated in, arguably, the two slowest cars on the grid.
“The Max of 2020 cannot be compared to the Max of 2023; he has gained tremendous authority,” the Austrian said to Motorsport-Total.com. “Max would be in a league of his own with any car. When the conditions are like that, he would put an AlphaTauri or a Haas on pole.”
Verstappen’s superiority this season is undeniable, seemingly racing a rocketship amongst golf buggies for the best part of 12 races; the pure pace and power of the RB19 has allowed Verstappen and Pérez to dominate the grid and secure the third successive world championship of the young Dutch driver’s career.
Commenting under a community post on Instagram, Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button has called out the Red Bull boss for his claim, disagreeing with Marko’s seemingly brazen statement about Verstappen’s pace.
Yes, Verstappen is undoubtedly one of the best drivers in history; once a fiery and aggressive racer in pursuit of his maiden title, Verstappen presents a more refined and efficient driver this year. His focus is razor-sharp; his goal is singular. He’s bound to dominate the grid for years to come.
But the two Red Bull drivers are clearly benefitting from one of the quickest cars the sport has ever seen – put them in the Haas or AlphaTauri, and they would inevitably struggle.