Marko hasn't given up on goal yet: "Making Verstappen the youngest champion ever"

F1 News

15 August 2020 at 19:13
Last update 15 August 2020 at 23:56
  • GPblog.com

After the Spanish Grand Prix teams will no longer be allowed to use the qualifying mode in 2020. According to Helmut Marko this is good news for Red Bull Racing.

It was a striking statement from the FIA, but a decision that is clearly against the dominance of Mercedes. The Grand Prix of Spain is the last race weekend where teams will be able to use a qualifying mode in 2020. During the other weekends teams will have to race with one mode, so a balance has to be found between speed and blowing up the engine.

There has been a lot of criticism on the decision, but Helmut Marko is happy with it. "It is a good decision for us, because now pole positions are even possible for us. In Barcelona we lost at least half a second on Mercedes in qualifying by their party mode. In Spa it would have been even eight tenths of a second", says the advisor of Red Bull Racing to F1-Insider.com.

Making Verstappen champion

"Every weekend we get better when it comes to the chassis, getting closer and closer to Mercedes. That's why we believe that we will be equal to Mercedes in qualifying in Belgium", continues the Austrian.

According to Marko, the decision of the FIA is tremendously important for the Red Bull Racing team. "We haven't given up on our biggest goal yet: we still want to make Max Verstappen the youngest champion ever. We know what else is in the car. In 2012 we had to get 60 points to catch up with Fernando Alonso", the advisor argues. If it is possible, it will in any case be an extremely challenging job for Verstappen.