Marko gives Verstappen big compliment: 'So extremely good'

F1 News

30 October 2021 at 09:32
  • GPblog.com

Helmut Marko can enjoy the way Max Verstappen is performing this season. The Dutchman offers excellent resistance against seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton. In fact, Verstappen is currently twelve points ahead of Hamilton.

The Red Bull Racing advisor has noticed this season that Verstappen and Hamilton are achieving a much higher level than the other drivers in Formula 1. "At the end of the day the driver really does make the difference this year," Marko told Motorsport.com. "Those drivers are so extremely good that Verstappen can even beat a faster Mercedes on hard tyres, as happened in America."

Red Bull's complex car

The Austrian racing team has to work hard this season to maintain their high level of performance. While it often struggles to keep up with the top teams during the first two free practice sessions on Friday, Red Bull almost always makes up for it on Saturday.

"It's so close together that the form of the day, the tarmac and even the outside temperature can make a difference. It does seem, though, that Mercedes can find the right set-up significantly quicker. Our car is more complex and so we often need more time for the set-up", says Marko.