Marko on McLaren: 'We are happy when they take points from each other'

Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has insisted the team is "happy" when McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri "take points off each other".

Norris emerged victorious in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix but was forced to settle for second behind his Australian teammate in China.

With Max Verstappen winning in Japan, Norris was left battling Piastri for second and while he eventually came out on top, it is clear that the McLaren drivers will battle throughout the campaign.

Marko on McLaren

In conversation with Kleine Zeitung, Marko said: “We are happy when they take points away from each other.” Norris is currently leading the world championship, but the Austrian gives the other McLaren driver the benefit of the doubt: “I think Piastri is mentally stronger, even though Norris is faster over one lap.

“If we work in the well-functioning window, we can win. Combined with Max's exceptional performances and also based on ourselves. But there is certainly more to come.

“The car still needs more balance and it still understeers too much while the car is in the middle of the corner. Max really doesn't like that at all. If we can get everything right, he will have the opportunity to do completely different things. That's exactly what we're working on. We can't say yet when and how that will happen.”