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Why Marko compared Verstappen to a squirrel after the United States GP
External Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has compared Max Verstappen a squirrel after his performance in the United States Grand Prix. Marko is pleased to see the Dutchman increase his F1 World Championship lead on Lando Norris at the Circuit of the Americas.
Verstappen ensured he got ahead of Norris at the first corner, even if it meant leaving the door open for Charles Leclerc. "Max drove like a champion," the Red Bull advisor is quoted by De Telegraaf.
"It's incredible what he did. Not making any mistakes under this pressure, when his tyres were almost gone. The car did not have the speed we had the day before, but we are looking at one thing: the championship."
Why Marko compared Verstappen to a squirrel
Verstappen extended his lead to 57 points. With five Grands Prix and two sprint races left on the calendar, Norris needs to make up more than 11 points per weekend on the reigning world champion. Marko compared Verstappen to an animal in a peculiar way.
"Max is a bit like a squirrel. Every nut they see lying around, they pick up. When it comes to World Championship points, Max has that same philosophy. He has the experience and so do we as a team. In 2009, for example, we also had the fastest car and the fastest driver, but we didn't win the title. We did many things wrong. What is clear now is that Max is still the best. He is mentally very strong. I will no longer compare him to other drivers in that respect...," Marko concluded.
This article has been created in collaboration with Estéban den Toom