F1 News
Would Verstappen quit early because of FIA penalties? Marko believes so
Max Verstappen has indicated many times that he is not planning on staying active in Formula 1 late into his career. After he received a bizarre community service penalty he got for swearing at the Thursday press conference in Singapore, the Dutchman once again emphasised on that statement. Top advisor Helmut Marko reacted to the Dutchman's words.
Helmut Marko, Red Bull Racing's external advisor, argues that Max Verstappen is not making a threat to achieve change. "Max has to be taken seriously," the Austrian told Motorsport-Total.
"Max has achieved a lot. But it is important for him that he also has fun and enjoys the whole sport. If that gets more and more ruined for him, then he is no longer himself If he says, 'OK, that's it, he means it.' But I hope the current situation will not actually lead to his departure any time soon."
Marko calls out double standards
Marko finds the fuss over the use of the F-word to be over the top. The Red Bull adviser recalled that former team principal, Guenther Steiner has become a popular figure for swearing, but Verstappen was instantly penalised. Previously, in Las Vegas, other team principals, Frederic Vasseur and Toto Wolff received reprimands. "There is a double standard, " Marko said angrily.
"Moreover, he (Max) was not talking about a person, but he meant the car, i.e. an object, and in his own way. OK, maybe at a press conference in the afternoon. If everything is judged so strictly, people might start expressing themselves differently in the future. But it is clearly exaggerated," the Austrian concluded.
This article was written in collaboration with Ludo van Denderen
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