Marko fuels McLaren with optimism ahead of Dutch Grand Prix weekend

7 August at 17:30

Nicole Mulder

Helmut Marko is already warning Max Verstappen: Red Bull Racing is unlikely to have found a solution to its disappointing performance of late before the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. This could help motivate McLaren who are looking to hunt down Red Bull in both Championships.

Marko: 'Red Bull has no solution for Zandvoort'

Formula 1 teams have to shut down operations for a fortnight during the summer break. Work can be done outside of that time. However, Marko fears that this time will not be enough for Red Bull to come up with a magic solution after the summer break.

"During the summer break, nothing happens for a fortnight, which means no work on the car. We have to solve our problems and find out where the fault lies, because we no longer have a balance in the car if you compare the current situation with the first three races," Marko explained in his column for Speedweek.com.

"But it is difficult to estimate how soon that will happen. I don't think the big solution will come at Zandvoort. We are brainstorming intensively and also have several ideas, but I cannot yet say what we will implement and how," adds the 81-year-old consultant.

"One thing is clear: Qualifying will be crucial at Zandvoort, because overtaking is hardly possible there. And Max could well drive a good qualifying, as he was good in that recently too. We were fastest in Austria and also at Spa. In Hungary we were only a few hundredths off," Marko stressed.

This article has been written in collaboration with Matt Gretton