Marko is clear: 'Verstappen beats Hamilton even in mediocre Red Bull'
In a preview of the 2025 Formula One season, Helmut Marko shares his expectations, noting that he anticipates minimal opposition from Mercedes. He also expresses doubt that Lewis Hamilton would be able to beat Max Verstappen, even with a better car.
Marko does not think Hamilton can beat Verstappen
Marko sees McLaren and Ferrari as Red Bull's main competitors. "The two race teams had the best base for their cars last season and were able to perform well on most circuits. They can build on that. But: none of the drivers stand out for me," he assessed in conversation with Sport Bild.
The 81-year-old Austrian believes Lando Norris showed he was mentally not ready for the world championship yet, while his teammate Oscar Piastri was too inexperienced. Moreover, they would both take points off each other next season, a situation Marko also expects to see at Ferrari.
"Charles Leclerc is good in qualifying but makes a lot of mistakes in the races. And Lewis Hamilton still has the speed, but can he keep that up for a whole season? I have my doubts about that. Even if he has a good Ferrari and we build a mediocre Red Bull for Max, I would put my money on Max," Marko concludes.
This article was written in collaboration with Toby Nixon
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It's quite astonishing that the criticism of Charles is that "he makes too many mistakes "! This is an assumed and used by many statement, yet when you review his F1 career, he has only made like 7 self-inflicted errors in 7 seasons. Sure Ferrari went through a period of making horrendous strategy calls, but are those considered as "Charles mistakes", by the likes of Marko and some on here! Anyway, its probably time for the old-timer to find a retirement village somewhere!
Was RB building trucks for Max until 2021 for Maci to help him beat LH? BS talk from demented old man as usaul.
2021, let me help you. Silverstone (need no comments) Hungary (Bottas toke out 2 red bull) Baku (Lewis had the win for the take but fu..ed up) so keep crying about Masi.
Man I love how Helmut's comments are question of interpretation really. Like what is mediocre car and what is good car. But still some Hamilton fans go ballistic, like no no no, it can't be like that, dear god, no it's not true" Every time, same people fall into the exact trap that they've fallen before.
Owh Marko...will you ever learn? ? Not saying he is wrong in principle, but these comments can only come back to bite you and cause polarization! I don't think he is far off regarding Leclerc, Norris and Piastri, but I think Lewis should be able to beat Max when he is in the better car. We have seen that in 2016-2020, although I don't expect the gap between cars to be as big as it was back then.
It is the headline that is polarizing, not what Marko said. He only said " Even if he has a good Ferrari and we build a mediocre Red Bull for Max, I would put my money on Max"...nothing polarizing with that, it only shows that he believes in his driver.
I wouldn't expect marko to say otherwise knowing that his very job in redbull depends on max being in a good mood. But more frankly speaking, his words only reveal one thing..which is that deep down both he and horner know that the only driver on the grid with the mettle to stop verstappen is Hamilton. This is all just smokescreen! The fear of Hamilton's resurgence is real..horner knows it and marko knows it.
This year is really going to be telling. Leclerc, Norris, Piastri, Russell all HAVE to prove themselves this season. If none of them get close, then I don't think any of them will ever have the mettle to win a World Championship fight (unless it's against each other obviously). For all the talent in this generation, it could be in their heads where it matters most. The next generation (Antonelli etc) are already knocking on the door.
Marko's a fool. Apparently, he doesn't remember Silverstone 2021. Verstappen turned in on Hamilton when he had the inside line. It didn't end well for Verstappen or Red Bull.
yes that is why Lewis was found guilty for the accident and got 10 second penalty. 2021 ended perfectly for Verstappen he became world champion.
The same man who think his god-boy Verstappen can win in a Haas. :) Why would someone of Hamilton's class even want to step into Red Bull car in the first place, let alone a mediocre one. And why didn't he say this of LeClerc or Norris? Why is he still hanging into Hamilton's coat-tails? Max was Red Bull last year where it wasn't dominant any more. Lewis in his mediocre Mercedes beat Max five times in the time it took Max to lose 12 races in the last 14. And Lewis won 2 of those. Marko will spout any old unprovable nonsense to kiss up to guy he wishes he could adopt.
Because he knows Hamilton is really the only driver on the grid with the resilience, backbone, strength of character to beat Verstappen in a season long duel. Just look at Norris last year. Crumbled.
Yep, Hamilton is one driver who knows what it takes to win a title. I can't include Alonso because it's probably been so long that he's forgotten. Even Max knew what it would take to beat Lewis in an equal car, which is why he used such unsporting tactics to do it. Notwithstanding that his team had to cheat to steal the title off Lewis.
"Lewis in his mediocre Mercedes beat Max five times in the time it took Max to lose 12 races in the last 14. And Lewis won 2 of those." and this made Lewis what? a midfield player, wauw Lewis beat Max 5 times and Max lost 12 out of the last 14, to bad you don't mention who became world champion!
Marko has always believed in Max's talent and Max keeps proving him right. The two will always be loyal to each other. Loyalty: a rare and precious commodity nowadays.
Well it's pretty obvious he would say that, but he couldn't beat the others last season when he had a mediocre RB so the facts don't really match the statement....
How did Max win the drivers championship if he did not beat the others? Many will say he won it by winning 5 out of the first 6 races, before the McLaren became dominant after Miami. Lets forget the first 6 races and assume the season only had 19 races, starting from Imola till Abu Dhabi. Max collected 301 points, Lando collected 291 points and Charles collected 258 points in those 19 races, so Max would have still won even when the McLaren was a better car.
Didn't you watch? If you watched the 2024 season, you shouldn't even have to ask this question. Fun fact: It is possible to win a world title without winning any races. It's been done before. Max was beaten 15 times last season out of 24 races. With his dominant car over the first 10 races, coupled with having no clear rival and 6 other drivers all trading race wins, he was able to finish high enough in the races still, to keep his head above water. That's all. If RB keep on this downward slope (fingers crossed), he's got a massive job to win a title. Marko is an idiot who spouts idiotic lines from time to time. But at least he's not slagging off all the Mexican people this time. He won't slag off Norris, Piastri or LeClerc though. Max gets on with them when he's not forcing them off the track or crashing into them. Something he's done to all of them.
Ha.... Pretty much said the same although you put it a bit more eloquently than myself 44..... : )
You know why, he got the points he needed at the start, then when the car became "mediocre" the other teams were taking wins off each other..... When the RB lost it's dominance he didn't win for 10 races, so yeah Marko not talking facts as usual but that's nothing new.
Actually Mech E, to give your comment the proper perspective Max actually won 7 out of the first 10 so not sure why you only opted for the first 6 however from Austria onwards Max scored 195 points, Lando scored 192 points, LeC scored 190 points but Max would still have won but by a much smaller margin ?
Let them be legend 44 is so happy that Lewis beat Max a few times and Max lost 12 races out of the last 14. Saying in fact that Max did a very good job winning the championship,
Overall I agree with you but your argument is pretty poor... You (and others) seem to think that when you don't win a race, that you're then beaten...which is a bit strange! Its a WDC we talking about here, and even when he had the 3rd best car on average since Miami 2024 (sometimes 4th best, sometimes 2nd best), Max still managed to overachieve and get the most points overall up until.Abu Dhabi, when things were eventually decided. No doubt that there are drivers on the grid that can beat Max on a specific day in the better car, and I also think that they are capable of winning the WDC over Max in an inferior Red Bull, but I think the point that Max has been extremely consistent in a Red Bull car that was far from optimal, is very valid.
It wasn't a criticism of Max, it was aimed at another hyperbole statement from Marko, last week we had Max is in another league!. Obviously he has to back his driver but statements like that are simply untrue. To me a driver in "another league" would be a driver such as Lewis Max or Charles going to Alpine or Haas and getting consistent podiums and the odd win.... That doesn't happen anymore. Hopefully the cars are even closer this season.
And stupid m thinking that je neat them all, by becoming the world champion in 2024, but I could be wrong.
He did but that wasn't the point I was making, It's another nonsense Marko statement. When the RB lost it dominance Max stopped winning races, so it's nonsense to suggest he would win in a mediocre car against others in a good car. It's quite disrespectful to the other drivers as well but that's not surprising either.
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