Alarm at Red Bull

Marko certain: “They wanted to make an example”

Helmut Marko (right) understands the penalties imposed on Max Verstappen, but has set alarm bells ringing at Red Bull.

(Bild: AFP/GETTY IMAGES/Mark Thompson)

While Ferrari once again pulled away from the competition at the Mexican Grand Prix, the title fight between Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen and Lando Norris came to a head. Verstappen received two ten-second penalties after two impetuous maneuvers and lost important points in the world championship duel. Red Bull chief advisor Helmut Marko also sees this as an "example being set".

In the end, Verstappen crossed the finish line in the Red Bull in sixth place, while Norris was able to be satisfied with second place in the much faster McLaren between the two Ferraris of GP winner Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc.

Norris described Verstappen's reckless overtaking maneuvers on the tenth lap as "not very clean", but he had seen it coming. "I knew what to expect. It's clear that it doesn't matter whether he wins or finishes second. His only job is to beat me."

Marko sounds the alarm
Norris has more to lose in the championship battle than Verstappen, and the Dutchman, who is known for his risky driving style, knows that. In Austin, Norris received a much-discussed five-second penalty after an aggressive maneuver by Verstappen, as a result of which the Briton finished fourth, directly behind the three-time champion. In Mexico, the Red Bull star exceeded the limit. "It is what it is," said Verstappen about the penalties.

With four races and two sprints to go before the end of the season, Verstappen's lead over Norris is now just 47 points. "We can't afford another race like this. We have to find speed," said Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko in an ORF interview.

Optimism at Red Bull, euphoria at Ferrari
The 81-year-old Styrian was partly in agreement with the penalties against Verstappen. "Max has the image of being a tough driver. I think they wanted to make an example of him. 15 seconds would have been enough," explained Marko, who admitted, however, that the Red Bulls would not have been able to match the pace of Ferrari and McLaren even if the race had gone normally.

Lando Norris (left) and Max Verstappen (right).

(Bild: AP ( via APA) Austria Presse Agentur/Vincent Thian)

Ahead of the next Grand Prix in Brazil this weekend, Marko is positive about one fact: "We are currently losing out to the competition in slow corners. But with Qatar and Las Vegas, we have two tracks where things should be better." In the constructors' championship, the Austro racing team was overtaken by Ferrari, with the Scuderia now in second place with 537 points behind McLaren (566) and ahead of Red Bull Racing (512).

"The constructors' championship is still our goal. We now just have to continue the way we have been driving in the last two races," said Austin winner Leclerc. "We are back in the thick of things," emphasized Sainz, who wants to make the most of the last four race weekends for Ferrari before his enforced departure (to Williams). Scuderia team boss Frédéric Vasseur was certainly in a good mood and watched the title fight with benevolence. "It's comfortable for us when the others are fighting each other. Then we can concentrate on our own business," said the Frenchman.