F1 News
Marko speaks enthusiastically about a 'possible successor to Verstappen'
- Cas van de Kleut
Max Verstappen has already achieved three world titles in his F1 career, and it's no secret that Helmut Marko helped bring the Dutchman to Red Bull in the first place. With the arrival of a new Dutchman at the Red Bull junior programme, a successor to Verstappen may already be in the making, Red Bull's chief advisor reveals.
Marko is talking about Rocco Coronel. During a test in a Formula 3 car, the just 13-year-old driver managed to convince Red Bull Racing's advisor that he was talented enough. The goal of Dutch racing driver Tom Coronel's son is clear: To make it to Formula 1.
Marko hopeful with new Dutch Red Bull talent
Marko was very impressed by the young Coronel's test: "We were very surprised by Rocco. He is 13 years old, so he was younger than Max when we started with him. There were several good drivers, but for his age, Rocco Coronel was definitely exceptional."
Even without the times, Marko realised Coronel was immediately quick: "I go from corner to corner on a scooter, as always. I don't need a stopwatch. They said to me: 'Coronel is the fastest'. I said: 'I know, I don't need a stopwatch to see that'."
Rocco Coronel: successor to Verstappen?
Marko continued, "He is quite mature. He has self-confidence. He also has a pretty dominant father, it seems, in the Netherlands. But then his father stopped talking, and he [Rocco] told more about himself. I'm impressed with how he keeps the balance between racing and school. So I'm sure that if Max ever quits, we might already have his successor in place," the Austrian revealed.
This article was written in collaboration with Cas van de Kleut.
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7 October 2024
