Marko comments on 'pessimistic' Verstappen: 'Glass is always half-empty'

Verstappen is somewhat less optimistic about Red Bull's chances at the start of the new Formula 1 season. At the Viaplay Kick-Off event, the Dutchman said he doesn’t expect to be fighting for victory in Australia. He also pointed out that, at the start of the season, only one team can truly compete for the title—McLaren.

Marko is more optimistic than Verstappen

Still, Red Bull's team advisor is a bit more positive about their chances: "The Verstappens prefer to be pessimistic, I am a bit more optimistic. For them, the glass is half-empty at the moment and for me the glass is half-full."

The Red Bull advisor continued, "Overall, McLaren was superior during the winter test. If Bahrain had been the first race of the season, they probably would have achieved a 1-2 finish. But be careful: it was colder than normal and so we still have time to improve."

Pre-season testing in Bahrain was by no means perfect for the Milton Keynes-based team. Still, there were some positives to take from it. Marko is certain that these positives must be taken on as the team embarks on its first Grand Prix quest in 2025

"There is still room for improvement. Thursday [in Bahrain] was not optimal. Some new parts worked, some a bit less. But what is good is that the car responds to changes in set-up. That means, unlike last year, we now have the ability to always get the car in a good working window. That was the biggest weakness in 2024 and until Max became world champion," Marko concluded.

This article was written in collaboration with Toby Nixon