F1 News

Marko expects tough race Verstappen GP United States

Marko frustrated with lost pole for Verstappen: 'From P1 to P6 is dramatic'

21 October 2023 at 00:33
Last update 21 October 2023 at 01:12
55
  • GPblog.com

Helmut Marko is not satisfied with Red Bull Racing's qualifying result for the United States Grand Prix. He therefore expects a tough race for Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, especially given the strong form shown by the rival Formula 1 teams.

Marko not happy with Red Bull qualifying

"We knew it was going to be tight," Marko began about Verstappen's qualifying at ServusTV. "On his first lap in Q3, Checo drove in the way, which was a mistake in communication. On the second lap, he braked a bit in the first corner, but then he made up for it. To then drop from first to sixth place is dramatic."

Beyond Verstappen's disappointing starting position, Marko sees another factor at play. "The cars in front of him are all strong opponents. It will be a tough race," observes the 80-year-old Austrian. Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes all competed for the top positions on Friday.

Marko explains the disappointing Red Bull

Marko does think he has an explanation for the RB19's somewhat disappointing pace at the Circuit of the Americas, which is known to be very bumpy. "We were more affected by the bumps than others, so we could not drive with the height we wanted. In the long run, however, we can make up some ground."

What can Verstappen do from P6? "On Sunday, the temperature should be very high. Tyre wear should play a role, which is our strong point. Max has shown he has a good race pace but can still manage it," Marko continued.

Perez will start the race from P9. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton, with whom he is battling for second place in the championship, starts from third. Marko expects Perez to be able to regain ground in the race, but at the same time sees that Hamilton is in good shape in Austin.

"Qualifying was a clear improvement and Perez is always stronger in the race than in qualifying. We will see. Last year Hamilton was already one of our strongest opponents. Let's see how it looks tomorrow in the sprint race, but it's closer than we want," Marko concluded.