The hunt for Max Verstappen’s potential new partner at Red Bull continues as the pressure on Sergio Perez reportedly increases because of his underperformances. With time running out for the Mexican driver, there are rumors that the Milton Keynes-based outfit is considering replacing him with either Lando Norris or Lewis Hamilton. The same question was recently put forward to Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko in an interview with Motorsport-Magazin and the 80-year-old gave his take on the same.
This question is interesting as there is also a history of Red Bull previously considering signing both Hamilton and Norris at different points in time. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner once stated in an interview with express.co.uk that his side failed to sign Hamilton because they already had Sebastian Vettel, and did not want “two alpha drivers” on the same side.
Bring back the W11!! pic.twitter.com/Y0LsYwL7gf
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As for Norris, Marko admitted in an interview with Sport24auto (as quoted by news.com.au) that he had held talks with the 23-year-old to potentially sign him for Red Bull. However, Marko added that a move never worked out as Norris did not want to leave McLaren.
Helmut Marko rules out a move for Lewis Hamilton
In his most recent interview with Motorsport-Magazin, Helmut Marko completely ruled out the possibility of Red Bull signing Lewis Hamilton. When asked the same, he replied, “With Norris, I can well imagine that (signing him to Red Bull). With Hamilton, I have a harder time“.
He explained his point by stating that while Red Bull do not have a preference when it comes to their drivers, he cannot envisage a situation with two top drivers on the same side. He believes that by having the likes of Hamilton and Verstappen on the same side, the “overall team atmosphere and competitiveness must not suffer“.
Marko concluded his point by giving the example of the partnership between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. He believes that Red Bull do not want a situation similar to that, where they have two top drivers who cause more problems than provide benefits for the team.
Max Verstappen has always heaped praise on Lando Norris
Max Verstappen has always spoken highly of Lando Norris and seems to have a good relationship with the Briton. Following the conclusion of the Hungarian Grand Prix, the Dutchman explained how it was not a surprise for him to see the McLaren driver on the podium.
As quoted by f1.com, he explained how Norris only needed a good car to deliver such a performance. Norris has delivered some strong results for McLaren recently as he has clinched two podiums in the last three races. After the resumption of F1 following the summer-break, Norris and McLaren will be hoping for more of the same.
