Verstappen makes Kelly Piquet wait: Visit to the factory already scheduled
Red Bull Contentpool
F1 News
With a pregnant girlfriend at home, it was already not expected that Max Verstappen would stay in Asia these next two weeks, until the Japanese Grand Prix is set to begin. While Max Verstappen is flying back to Europe, he will not only spend time in Monaco, as he is set to visit his team's factory, top advisor Helmut Marko shared.
Verstappen will have the chance to talk to Red Bull's team in Milton Keynes about several things that can help improve the RB21's performance, including adjustments and upgrades.
"We have to work hard. Max will visit the factory next week to discuss where the weak spots are. We need to improve the car as soon as possible, but we know it will take time," Marko confirmed Verstappen's plans.
The Austrian also sees that McLaren are clearly ahead of them with the MCL39 at the moment, and believes their current rivals are Mercedes and Ferrari, who they can chellenge depending on several circumstances, including the track and the compound they have on the car. In Shanghai for example, the RB21 showed better place on the hard tyres under Verstappen.
Marko still believes Verstappen can win the drivers' title
After the second round, the gap between Norris and Verstappen stands at eight points. Marko himself does not want Red Bull to just focus on their 2026 car either as he thinks Verstappen can still achieve great results this season. "At the moment, our focus is still completely on making this a winning car, so to win this championship," he concludes.
This article was written in collaboration with Ludo van Denderen
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