Helmut Marko feels that Max Verstappen leaving Red Bull to join another team after his 2021 Title winning season was a possibility.
Verstappen’s 2021 season was a build-up to all the promise he brought with his debut back in 2015. At the age of 17, he was the youngest driver ever in F1, and in just in second season, became a race winner.
Since then, he was a Champion in the waiting, just waiting for the right car that would allow him to fulfill his destiny. In 2021, Red Bull provided him with just that.
He ended Lewis Hamilton’s dominance in the sport, and became the first Dutch F1 World Champion. After securing his victory on the final lap in Abu Dhabi, Verstappen took to the team radio to say that he wishes to stay with Red Bull forever.
It was a phrase that was used thereafter in several instances. At the FIA Prize Giving Ceremony, the 24-year old once again said that he would sign a 15 year contract with them, without hesitation.
Red Bull advisor Marko on the other hand wasn’t too sure. He felt that with his Title victory, Verstappen would definitely want more money, and they weren’t sure how much to offer.
Also read: Max Verstappen calls for Formula 1 to stop adding more street circuit races to the calendar
Only the years in the contract had to be changed for Max Verstappen, says Helmut Marko
Marko went on to talk about how the negotiation went forward. He was sure that his star driver would want a raise, but not sure about how much. They did offer a bumper contract to Verstappen, but feared that other teams would poach him with more money.
In March, Verstappen signed a deal with the Austrian team that will keep him in Milton-Keynes until the 2028 season at least. It’s one of the biggest F1 contracts in history, with a lot of money involved. Marko however, isn’t too sure that it matches the amount of money Mercedes pays Hamilton.
Max Verstappen has signed a lucrative new contract to stay at Red Bull beyond 2023, reported to be worth $50 million a year.
Full story: https://t.co/h5rOAHVYWU pic.twitter.com/3DhhCTzAVL
— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) March 2, 2022
“We only had to change the years for the new contract,” said Marko. “It seems normal to me that Max will earn more as World Champion.”
“I don’t know if that’s true [whether it’s the biggest contract ever],” the 78-year old added. “Because I don’t know Hamilton’s contract. I was afraid that Max might go to another team.”
Verstappen has endured a tough start to 2022. The Red Bull ace has faced two engine related DNFs in two of the first three races. He is P6 in the standings, despite winning the Saudi Arabian GP in March.
Also read: Mark Webber optimistic Red Bull will fix reliability issues and fight Ferrari hard for title
