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“Hamilton and Verstappen’s brilliance is keeping this season alive”: Helmut Marko feels that the Championship would have been over already had it not been for those two drivers

Somin Bhattacharjee
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"Hamilton and Verstappen's brilliance is keeping this season alive": Helmut Marko feels that the Championship would have been over already had it not been for those two drivers

Dr. Helmut Marko believes that Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen’s exceptional driving is what is keeping this Championship alive. 

Red Bull’s motorsport advisor recently spoke about his thoughts on the ongoing F1 season. It has been a closely fought battle between Hamilton and Verstappen since the first race in Bahrain back in March. Fans and pundits are calling this one of the best seasons in F1 in a long time.

Marko believes that the season has been this exciting because the two drivers are of equal caliber and are driving cars which are also similar in terms of performance.

Verstappen brought his Red Bull home to a win in Austin last week. Himself and Hamilton were separated by just over a second. The two drivers were a class apart as they both finished the race almost a minute ahead of Max’s teammate Sergio Perez, who came 3rd.

Hamilton and Verstappen are the only drivers who can get the best out of their cars, says Marko

The fight between Max and Lewis has been so close that it’s tough to predict who will be on top at the end of the season. Helmut Marko thinks that other non-racing factors would have a major role to play in the outcome.

“It is so close together that the shape of the day, the asphalt and even the outside temperature can be the deciding factor,” he said.

“It seems that Mercedes can find the right setup significantly faster. Our car is more complex and, as a result, we often need more time for the setup. “Furthermore, there are only two drivers who always manage to get the most out of the cars. Hamilton at Mercedes, and Max, of course, with us.”

“As for the second drivers, Perez has thankfully found his way up and Bottas. His race in Turkey was extremely good, and the one in Austin above average,” Marko said. “But there are only two exceptional drivers (Lewis and Max) who keep this duel alive, regardless of whether Mercedes or Red Bull has the faster car.”

Max Verstappen leads Lewis Hamilton by 12 points with just 5 races to go. The F1 season resumes next weekend when the sport returns to Mexico City after a year’s hiatus.

Also read: “Formula 1 is the Champions League”– Toto Wolff warns potential newcomers to not expect immediate success

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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