Marko on Verstappen tyre blowout: "It just hurts"
F1 News
- GPblog.com
After the Baku GP it was almost all about the final stage of the race, in which Max Verstappen drove to victory and then on the long straight just before the end of the Grand Prix he suffered a blowout. This cost him the victory, while he also saw his lead in the championship disappear. Helmut Marko saw this as well, who of course was not very happy about it.
In an extensive interview with Auto, Motor und Sport Verstappen says he and the team were lucky. The damage could have been much greater according to him. "The damage was fortunately limited because Verstappen lost control at a point on the track where there is a bump on the track. As a result, he had a bit more space." Still, even the Austrian knows that this doesn't make the situation much better. It was a lost weekend for Max Verstappen and Red Bull.
"We were in first and second place with Red Bull at that point. With Gasly and Tsunoda we were also well placed. Max's lead over Hamilton would have grown to 15 points. It just hurts. We had it under control with ease, I would say. Max could have gone much faster."
Marko not happy with the lead
Marko also knows that the current difference in both championships based on performance may not be entirely justified. According to him, Red Bull should have already been further ahead in both championships. "We have the fastest combination of car and driver at the moment. But we are only four points ahead. That doesn't reflect our strength. With the luck Mercedes has, you have to be happy with any point you can settle for."
That Lewis Hamilton eventually made a mistake on the restart and lost the win and with it 25 points was a curtain call for Max Verstappen and Red Bull. The lead in the championship is still four points. During the upcoming tripleheader, Red Bull will try to take revenge on the track.