P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Max Verstappen says Helmut Marko has learned his lesson to “never bet against me” after losing money to Red Bull F1 team principal Christian Horner.
Triple world champion Verstappen secured pole position at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, bouncing back from a difficult final practice session where he struggled with the balance and handling of his Red Bull car. However, set-up changes between practice and qualifying proved pivotal as Verstappen outpaced Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to claim his 12th pole of the dominant 2023 season. After the race, an amusing team radio conversation revealed that team principal Horner had made a bet with Helmut Marko, in which Horner won €500 as Verstappen made it to the front row. Verstappen jokingly mentioned that Marko has learned his lesson and should never bet against him. In the post-qualifying press conference, Verstappen expressed his satisfaction with the team’s efforts to find a good set-up for qualifying, despite the gamble of making changes without certainty of success.
