Verstappen's long runs in Zandvoort do not reassure Marko

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Helmut Marko not at ease after Max Verstappen's long runs at Zandvoort
23 August at 16:44
  • Tim Kraaij

Helmut Marko is not very hopeful for the Dutch fans after the first two free practice sessions. Max Verstappen concluded FP2 in fifth place. Normally, more can then be expected from race pace, but Marko thinks not.

It takes a while after the second free practice for everyone to come out. Normally protagonists like Christian Horner, Helmut Marko and Max Verstappen are quickly outside the garage, this time they stayed inside longer. After 15 minutes, Marko finally came out. Asked about race pace for Sunday, Marko was not very optimistic.

Marko not hopeful after FP2 at Zandvoort

''It's difficult to say because the car is not really balanced as we would have liked it. On the single lap I think we are more competitive than on the long runs. But maybe it's just a one-stop and overtaking is very difficult here. I think it will be close, but I don't think there is a clear favourite at the moment,'' Marko told GPblog.

In the second free practice, McLaren and Mercedes were faster than Red Bull, Red Bull's advisor also observed. ''Yes, pretty good, but they are very good on the single lap and on the long runs. And with the different tyres, different adaptations. I think it will be a very interesting event, especially as qualifying should be wet tomorrow.''

The updates brought by Red Bull Racing in recent months were not yet working properly. Helmut Marko even described them earlier as 'downdates'. At Zandvoort, Marko brought updates again, although Marko himself does not want to call them that: ''Not really updates, modifications.'' Asked about recent 'downdates' comment, Marko walks smiling away towards Red Bull's hospitality.