P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Helmut Marko has pointed to McLaren as the current favourite for success in the first grands prix of this year. But as always, he adds a footnote.
Helmut Marko referred to Max Verstappen as Red Bull’s “joker” who the team can rely on to deliver results in challenging situations. He anticipates that Red Bull will heavily lean on Verstappen this year, especially with new teammate Liam Lawson, in their competition against McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Marko hopes Norris and Piastri will continue to compete closely, similar to last season when McLaren didn’t designate a clear number one driver until later. Despite McLaren winning the constructors’ title, Verstappen managed to secure his fourth consecutive drivers’ championship. Marko holds Piastri in high regard and expects him to challenge Norris, but still considers Verstappen as their top driver who can excel even when the car’s performance is lacking. Red Bull’s struggle last season for the constructors’ championship was partly attributed to Sergio Perez’s underperformance in the latter part of the season, despite a strong start, and also to the car’s lackluster performance. Marko remains confident that if the RB21 underperforms, they can count on Verstappen to showcase his brilliance and save the day.
