Helmut Marko: “The McLarens are in a whole new world”

It is a change in status that Red Bull is not used to. Since the new regulations of 2022, the Austrian team has won all the available trophies, whether it be the drivers’ or constructors’ titles. While this year seemed to be following the same path, the trend has completely reversed in recent weeks. McLaren is now the dominant car and leads the team championship, ahead of Red Bull. This advantage has continued to grow due to issues encountered on the RB20, while McLaren continues to improve. In Singapore, the pace difference between the two cars even greatly worried the Milton Keynes team.

Interrogations at Red Bull about McLaren’s pace.

Helmut Marko, head of Red Bull’s young driver program, revealed that he discussed with Max Verstappen and does not understand the speed displayed by McLaren on the Marina Bay track, when it was still at the back of the grid two seasons ago. Asked about these exchanges with the three-time world champion, Marko explained that they struggle to analyze the car’s difficulties compared to its British counterpart: “Lando’s domination is strange, especially on the medium tires – he was taking nine tenths to a second per lap from us. Even if our car had been optimized, he would not have been able to achieve these times on the mediums. And we are all wondering how he did it.”

Last weekend, McLaren showed remarkable consistency, particularly during the initial stint where Norris quickly pulled away from Verstappen while managing tire wear. This dominance prompted Red Bull to bring many new upgrades to close the gap. Marko explained that the team seems to better understand the car and will arrive in Austin with the ambition to catch up to McLaren: « It is a step in the right direction, but it is not enough » he said about the updated underfloor of Red Bull, a response to the continuity strategy adopted by McLaren who chose to keep their underfloor introduced in Miami that had allowed Norris to clinch his first career victory.

« They worked very, very hard and acquired some knowledge. It wasn’t an entirely new floor, but some parts were new. But I think the decisive factor will be the performance in Austin, and there are many other things to come.

Necessary changes to get back to winning ways

The evolutions are essential in the face of worrying performances, like in Monza where Red Bull seemed to be the fourth force on the grid. This result caused a brutal awakening according to Helmut Marko: “It was the worst race since… I don’t know, I don’t remember the last time we made so many mistakes in terms of strategy, pit stops, speed, everything.” For several races now, Red Bull has been striving to provide Verstappen with a better balanced car so he can get back to winning, a reward he hasn’t experienced for eight races.

« The car must have a wider operating range […] more speed and also more flexibility so that Max can attack. We know he needs a car with good front grip. Because settling for second place is not enough », explains Marko to the media in the paddock. The Austrian demands victories for Red Bull before the end of the season, considering that the drivers’ title is a priority, but that the team can still hope for the constructors’ title if the car regains its early season pace. Sergio Perez, for his part, has not reached the podium since Miami.

Despite the current difficulties, Marko remains optimistic: If Max wins races again and if Sergio can reach the third or fourth place, things will be different. But the focus is mainly on the drivers’ title for now.

But if we manage to do it – and I believe it is only possible if Max wins at least two more races – then it will also seem a little more promising in the constructors’ championship. However, the constructor title remains very elusive with a 41-point deficit to McLaren, who has scored more points than Red Bull in the last eight rounds. Red Bull has not yet said its last word in this fierce battle.