Helmut Marko Accepts Max Verstappen Can’t be ‘Exceptional’ Every Week

Max Verstappen’s prowess once again proved to be the differential at the Spanish Grand Prix last weekend. Although McLaren seemed to have the quickest car in Barcelona, the Dutchman managed to come out on top. Still, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has accepted how they cannot always rely on Verstappen’s brilliance. Currently, the Austrian outfit is struggling with some fundamental issues of the RB20 and they need to fix those to stay clear of any challenge in the constructors’ championship.

Speaking with OE24, Marko said, “Max can’t drive at the limit like that for a whole season. The overtaking maneuver that put him in the lead was exceptional, even for him. Max wins because he is so confident, not because the car is great”.

The Barcelona HEAT was ON! pic.twitter.com/qfpOrExppw

— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) June 23, 2024

The three-time champion himself admitted that Red Bull’s performance in comparison to McLaren in Barcelona was concerning. Max Verstappen believes that Red Bull are in desperate need of upgrades if they are to maintain their lead over rivals like McLaren, Ferrari, and even Mercedes, who are improving quite promisingly.

Since the Barcelona track is often considered a litmus test for all teams, the one thing that seems clear is that the Austrian outfit cannot rest on their past laurels. Therefore, with the upcoming races also set to take place on conventional race tracks, Red Bull may not have an advantage at all over McLaren as many had predicted before the weekend in Barcelona.

Moreover, the Milton Keynes team’s recent struggles may also provide the impetus for either Lando Norris or Charles Leclerc to fight for the championship. As things stand, Verstappen has a 69-point lead over Norris in P2.

Meanwhile, Leclerc is 71 points behind. Therefore, a few victories from either Norris or Leclerc could put Verstappen in danger of losing his championship lead.