Ferrari are not leading the F1 title race this season because they are doing ‘EVERYTHING wrong’, says Helmut Marko… but Red Bull senior adviser tells his team they ‘can’t lean back yet’ despite leading the standings
- Red Bull’s Max Verstappen holds 80-point lead over Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc
- Red Bull are also 97 points clear of Ferrari in the constructors’ standings
- Ferrari again faced accusations in Hungary tactical blunders are costing them
- However, Helmut Marko insists his Red Bull cannot afford to relax just yet
Red Bull’s senior adviser believes his team are only leading the F1 championship because Ferrari have been ‘doing pretty much everything wrong’.
Max Verstappen holds an 80-point lead – more than three race wins – over Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in the title race after winning the Hungarian Grand Prix at the end of last month.
Red Bull are also 97 points clear of Ferrari in the constructors standings, all of which comes despite belief they do not have the fastest car.
Red Bull senior adviser Helmut Marko says Ferrari are ‘doing pretty much everything wrong’
Max Verstappen holds an 80-point lead in the driver standings after winning in Hungary
Leclerc led for a while in Hungary but ended up sixth as his tyre strategy unravelled and Ferrari again faced accusations tactical blunders were giftwrapping both championships to Red Bull.
However, despite the number of races left in the season now being in single digits, Helmut Marko insists his Red Bull team cannot afford to relax just yet.
When asked by Osterreich if Red Bull can now take it easy, Marko replied: ‘Don’t say that.
‘We have nine races left, that’s 225 points for nine possible wins plus sprint and fastest laps. No, we really can’t lean back yet.
He holds the lead over Charles Leclerc (centre), who led for a while but ended up in sixth
‘[Ferrari are] doing pretty much everything wrong. In Budapest, for example, they didn’t give the tyres the right temperature window for the first time and also chose the wrong pit strategy.
‘I don’t understand why they didn’t take used mediums [tyres]. They would have been even better. So you celebrate Toto [Wolff] and Mercedes as big winners with places two and three.’
Reigning champion Verstappen started from 10th on the grid in Budapest, but that did not stop him from going on and securing his eighth victory in his last 13 races.
Marko insists the Dutchman is underappreciated, and praised the way he has matured since he was first brought into the sport.
Ferrari faced accusations tactical blunders were giftwrapping both championships to Red Bull
‘I just want to see Max’s performance appreciated enough,’ Marko added. ‘After the bad luck in qualifying, he won from 10th on a track where you are supposed to have no chance from behind. If he had been in front, he would have been up and away again.’
‘When we brought Max into Formula 1 at 17, he was the greatest talent I’ve ever come across but he was too impulsive,’ Marko admitted.
‘With the victories, he gained in maturity. When he kept his cool at the start in Budapest while overtaking, I thought ”is that really Max sitting in there?” With this maturity, he makes it easier for the whole crew.’
Marko insists Verstappen is underappreciated after coming from 10th to win in Budapest
