Almost a decade ago, it was Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko who played a huge role in scouting a young Max Verstappen. After the Dutchman has proved his talents in Formula 1, the Austrian now believes that he will never be able to find ‘the next’ Verstappen, per Soy Motor.
When talking about the talent the Red Bull star possesses, Marko told OE24 (as quoted by Soy Motor), “Maybe I have a bit of that same nerve, but I have already given up looking for a new Verstappen. At the end of the day, he doesn’t exist… I will be happy if we find a future GP winner.”
Red Bull took a big gamble when they first promoted Verstappen to F1 before promoting him to the main team just a year later. However, the gamble paid off instantly as he won the 2016 Spanish GP on his Red Bull debut. Since then, he has won three consecutive world titles and has registered several other records to his name.
Marko’s statement about Max Verstappen really means something given how strong Red Bull’s academy is. While it is very rare to find someone of the 26-year-old’s caliber, the Milton Keynes-based team still has a huge amount of talent.
How do the Red Bull juniors stack up for Formula 1?
Helmut Marko’s recent comments come off the back of Red Bull signing Oliver Goethe. The young German racing sensation, who is the defending Euroformula champion, finished eighth in F3 this year. Soon after Goethe’s impressive performances, Red Bull promptly inducted him into their junior academy for 2024 and beyond.
Currently, Red Bull have six drivers representing them in F2. And some of the names such as Isack Hadjar and Ayumu Iwasa have been touted to become part of the Formula 1 grid very soon.
However, Liam Lawson seems the closest to receiving an F1 seat. After replacing the injured Daniel Ricciardo for a few races earlier this year, the New Zealander really left an impression on the paddock as a result of his outstanding performances.
However, things are going to change for Red Bull in F2 next year. According to reports, two of their F2 drivers, Enzo Fittipaldi and Zane Maloney, have been dropped from the F2 roster and the academy.
