P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has admitted Max Verstappen’s title prospects in F1 are “impossible” after a frustrating Hungarian GP.
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has acknowledged that Max Verstappen’s chances of winning the Formula 1 title are “impossible” following a disappointing Hungarian Grand Prix where Verstappen finished ninth. McLaren’s Lando Norris led the team to its seventh 1-2 finish of the season, with Oscar Piastri in second, extending Verstappen’s deficit to 97 points in the Drivers’ standings. Marko believes Verstappen’s hopes for a fifth World Championship have all but vanished with 10 races remaining.
Verstappen’s teammate Yuki Tsunoda struggled, finishing 17th after starting from the pit lane, while Verstappen himself was behind former teammate Liam Lawson. Marko admitted the RB21’s pace was lacking and regretted the team’s strategy on the pit wall, suggesting a one-stop strategy could have yielded a better result. Red Bull faced tyre degradation issues that significantly impacted Verstappen’s performance at the challenging Hungaroring circuit.
Despite showing strong pace early in his stints, Verstappen’s RB21 suffered from rapid tyre wear that hindered his ability to compete at the front. Marko lamented the team’s inability to maintain performance due to the car’s challenging nature and narrow operating window. Moving forward, Red Bull aims to address the tyre degradation woes to give Verstappen a better chance in the upcoming races.
