Marko done with track limits: 'This way you won't have a result until Monday'
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For Helmut Marko, it was a qualifying session with two different outcomes. Max Verstappen excelled once again, Sergio Perez had another difficult qualifying session. The Red Bull Racing advisor acknowledges the Mexican's inadequate performance, but also points the finger at the FIA regarding the track limits.
Track limits and Perez
"You have seen how many [drivers] have exceeded the track limits. That's because of those white lines, you have to come up with something for that," Marko is vehement in conversation with the German branch of Sky. It cost Perez a place in the final session of qualifying, as he dropped from P10 to P13 and was therefore not allowed into Q3 for the eighth time in 2023.
Immediately after Q2, there was brief uncertainty as to whether Perez might be allowed in after all. The television images did not provide 100 per cent clarity and so the Mexican put his helmet back on anyway. In vain. "There has to be a solution in the future. Because what do you do in the race? Then you have a result on Monday morning," he warned. Earlier this season, the track limits in Austria were also a major source of unrest.
Verstappen's set-up
In the first and only free practice session - which lasted only 60 minutes - it was important for Red Bull to find a good set-up straight away. This was not easy, due to the poor track conditions. Nevertheless, on Verstappen's side of the garage, the Austrian racing stable had it thick in qualifying at the Losail International Circuit.
"The window between set-up and tyre temperature was relatively narrow here. Max got it right, but Sergio didn't quite get it right. But he also crashed out due to exceeding the track limits, otherwise he would have been in the top-ten anyway," Marko tries to keep things somewhat positive.
The 80-year-old Austrian still sees chances for Perez on Sunday. "We have enough [tyres]. So we are right on track with our tyre plan. Checo has the advantage of having two sets of tyres left. He has to look at it positively," he concluded.