Red Bull-Max Verstappen, Helmut Marko does not rule out a new change of scenery

The joy of success in the Japan Grand Prix already seems like a distant memory for Max Verstappen and Red Bull, both returned to suffering, sportingly speaking, in Bahrain, where the four-time world champion finished in sixth place far from the podium and also behind the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.

To come to terms with reality there’s also the “deus ex machina” of the Anglo-Austrian stable, Helmut Marko, who at the microphones of ‘Sky Sports Deutschland’ spoke quite clearly about the future, not ruling out a change of scenery concerning precisely the Dutch driver: “There’is a lot of concern – admitted the ’former Austrian driver -. Improvements are needed as soon as possible”.

“We need to make sure that Max has a car at his disposal that will enable him to seek victory in every Grand Prix– added Marko -. We need to develop a vehicle that can confirm him at the top of the Formula 1 World Championship”. Verstappen has a contract until the end of the 2028 season, but it is not ruled out that he could negotiate for an early farewell should Red Bull confirm to be less competitive than expected, as is happening in this start of the season.

The success at Suzuka seemed more of an isolated episode, the result of the undisputed talent of the 1997-class driver, than a victory facilitated by the qualities of the vehicle: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda, in fact, had finished the GP in twelfth position, with a final gap of 58 seconds and 4 tenths. It was the first race in Red Bull for the Japanese driver, but the difference between the two impressed fans and insiders and was confirmed in Bahrain as well, albeit with a much smaller gap.