Helmut Marko’s Shocking Verdict on Max Verstappen’s F1 Title Hopes

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko believes Max Verstappen’s Formula 1 title hopes are looking slim after a difficult weekend in Spain and strong results from rival team McLaren.

Verstappen has managed just two victories in the opening nine races of the season, while McLaren’s return to form has seen them claim seven wins, five of which have come from Oscar Piastri.

The Australian driver has established a 49-point lead over Verstappen in the championship, placing the Red Bull driver third in the standings behind both Piastri and McLaren teammate Lando Norris.

Verstappen’s struggle was highlighted at the Spanish Grand Prix, where he received a 10-second penalty that dropped him from fourth place down to tenth.

This setback made it even tougher for him to close the gap to the McLaren drivers.

Throughout the early part of the year, McLaren has proven to be the main competitor, with Red Bull failing to consistently find the speed to match their pace.

Marko admitted that Verstappen does not currently have the car to compete with McLaren on a regular basis and said Verstappen must drive at the absolute limit on every lap to keep up.

Red Bull’s RB21 car only sometimes has a wide enough working window to compete equally with McLaren.

Marko noted that if everything goes perfectly, Red Bull can match McLaren’s performance, but those occasions are rare—perhaps only once every three or four races.

He warned that unless Red Bull manages to resolve its issues, the gap to McLaren will only increase, making the challenge even greater as the season progresses.

Despite these struggles, Marko pointed out that Red Bull has experience mounting comebacks in past seasons.

In 2022, Verstappen was able to recover from a 46-point deficit to Charles Leclerc early in the year and still won the championship.

Similarly, Sebastian Vettel overcame a 44-point gap to Fernando Alonso in 2012 to clinch his third title.

Marko said the team is not giving up on the season, but he admits the road ahead will be tough.

McLaren’s consistency has made them the team to beat in 2025, with Oscar Piastri leading the driver standings on 186 points and Lando Norris just behind on 176.

Verstappen, with 137 points, has work to do if he is to close the gap as the campaign heads to the next rounds.

The F1 calendar includes key races in Canada on June 15, Austria on June 29, and Britain on July 6, where the championship battle is expected to continue.

Fans are following every detail as the season unfolds, with key topics such as Verstappen’s penalty decisions and McLaren’s surge at the center of racing conversations.

The next few races could determine whether Red Bull can find new speed and bring Verstappen back into contention for another title.

The team is under growing pressure to deliver improvements if they hope to contend with McLaren in the remaining rounds.

John Martinez

John Martinez delivers real-time NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series news, from live race updates to pit-lane strategy analysis. A graduate of the University of Northwestern Ohio’s Motorsports Technology program, he breaks down rule changes, driver tactics, and championship points with crystal-clear reporting.