Helmut Marko has given his take on the Spanish Grand Prix this past weekend after normalcy continued at the top. Max Verstappen helped Red Bull win their seventh consecutive race of the 2023 season and a third consecutive race himself.
While it was business as usual at the top, the same cannot be said for the teams behind. Unlike the first six races of the season, Aston Martin had a disappointing race weekend for the first time this year. And instead, it was Mercedes that closed the gap tremendously to Red Bull by bringing in their new upgrades.
Even though the Silver Arrows had an outstanding race this past weekend with a second and third-place finish for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell respectively, Marko seems unmoved. The 80-year-old has dismissed suggestions that Mercedes’ improvement in performance may pose a threat to Red Bull moving forward in the season.
Helmut Marko unconcerned about Mercedes’ improvement in pace
When asked by OE24 if Mercedes’ upgrades concern Red Bull, Helmut Marko replied (as quoted by gpblog.com), “No arrogant intention, but they have not really come closer. They have gone in a different direction. That, in turn, is good for us, because our lead in the championship is increasing with every race“.
Marko then went on to boast about his side further by stating that it is possible that Red Bull manages to win every race this season. The Austrian said that even if Max Verstappen for any reason fails to win any of the races, then Sergio Perez is equally capable of picking up the pieces.
The 80-year-old then concluded his remarks by stating that Red Bull is hopeful of winning their 100th race in Montreal next weekend. If the Milton Keynes outfit grabs the win in Canada, they would become the fifth constructor with 100 or more victories in F1. The other teams are Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes, and Williams.
Red Bull is way ahead of Mercedes in the Constructors’ Championship
Red Bull has been so dominant this season that even in one of their less successful race weekends, they were able to outscore Mercedes, who arguably had their best race weekend of the campaign. Sergio Perez’s fourth-place finish along with Max Verstappen’s win and the fastest lap helped the Milton Keynes outfit score 38 points.
On the other hand, Lewis Hamilton’s second-place finish along with George Russell’s third helped Mercedes score 33 points. Even though the Silver Arrows had such a strong weekend as compared to their previous races, it was Red Bull that extended their lead over them by another five points.
As things stand in the Constructors’ Championship, Red Bull has already scored 287 points and has a whopping 135-point lead over second-placed Mercedes.
