Dr. Helmut Marko Reacts to Saudi GP: “Racing Incident” for Max, Encouragement for Yuki
Following the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Sunday, Red Bull Motorsport Advisor Dr. Helmut Marko shared his take on a controversial race for both Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda. While Max walked away with valuable points resulting from a hard-fought P2, it was a weekend of what-ifs, and for Tsunoda, a missed opportunity after early contact.
Verstappen: “We Were Positively Surprised”
Dr. Marko defended Verstappen’s penalty incident, calling it a “racing accident.” He referenced a similar scenario in Formula 2, noting, “Four times the same situation, and only Browning got a warning — nobody got a five-second penalty.”
The team considered giving the position back, but ultimately chose to stay out:
“Overtaking is nearly impossible… We saw more chances with a pit stop and traffic strategy.”
Marko admitted the penalty ultimately cost Max the win:
“Yes, he would have won otherwise.”
Still, he praised Max’s pace and tire management: “No degradation, very strong race.”
On Red Bull’s performance, Marko said:
“Compared to Bahrain, we made a big progress… Jeddah suits us better, but we’re working on a car that performs across a wider range.”
He added that “Imola should be strong” and that the team is “getting the speed to beat McLaren,” implying for successful upgrades the team has planned to bring to Imola.
Tsunoda: Encouraging, Despite DNF
As for Racing Bulls driver Yuki Tsunoda, Marko saw promise despite an early end due to contact with Pierre Gasly.
“It was a racing incident, bad luck. He would have been in the points,” said Marko.
He noted Tsunoda’s impressive form in practice:
“In FP sessions, 3/10s ahead — no one else could do that. In qualifying, a little overdriving, but he’s bringing the points we need.”
Tsunoda still has room to improve under pressure, said Marko:
“In qualifying, he has to deliver. That’s where improvement is needed.”
When asked about Tsunoda’s development, Marko acknowledged his progress:
“He sees what Max is doing, but has good self-confidence and goes his own way. He knows what he wants.”
Looking Ahead
Marko sounded optimistic for upcoming rounds like Miami, saying:
“We can be competitive there… the race is not at lunchtime, the sun goes down. Conditions will be different.”
The team also plans further car mileage for Tsunoda, to build “more confidence and knowledge.”
Despite a mixed bag of results in Jeddah, Marko remains clear: Red Bull is building momentum — and both Verstappen and Tsunoda are central to that charge.
