P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Former Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has revealed that ex-F1 team principal Christian Horner was not in favour of promoting Max Verstappen from the junior team in 2016.
Red Bull’s gamble on Verstappen has paid off spectacularly, with the Dutch driver’s success a decade after being promoted to the main team.
Back in 2016, the decision to replace Kvyat with the young and inexperienced Verstappen raised eyebrows, but Helmut Marko’s intuition proved right.
Despite initial pushback from team boss Christian Horner and critics who questioned the move, Verstappen’s remarkable talent quickly shone through.
The quick swap mid-season led to Verstappen securing his first victory with Red Bull just two weeks after the move, proving his worth on the track.
Marko and Jos Verstappen’s unwavering belief in Max’s abilities ultimately silenced the doubters and set the stage for his successful career in Formula 1.
