The change from Adrian Newey from Red Bull to Aston Martin laid Formula 1 in the past year. In the meantime, rumors were circulating that Max Verstappen should also be recruited. Motorsport consultant Dr. Helmut Marko now explained why this was not an issue for the Dutch.
Farewell speculation around Max Verstappen had a boom in 2024. Sometimes the now four -time world champion threatened to say goodbye to Formula 1, sometimes it was about a possible change to the competition.
In the course of the power struggle at Red Bull, Mercedes flirted openly with an obligation, Aston Martin also positioned himself after Adrian Newey pulled the biggest fish ashore away from the race track. But a move to Aston Martin, although the design guru there is now tinkering with possible top cars of the future, his close confidante Helmut Marko would never have been possible for Verstappen.
“Adrian Newey is a thoroughbred racer and an intelligent person. The first thing he wants is the fastest driver. The carrot was held up to Max, but ultimately the Max wants to win,” said the Red Bull Motors sports director “Sport and Talk from the Hangar-7” on “Servus TV”.
Everyone in Formula 1 knows “that Newey is a genius, but it doesn’t work overnight. He needs a crew for himself. I don’t see a change from Max in the near future,” said the 81-year-old.
Marko convinced: Verstappen becomes world champion, but …
Adrian Newey was largely responsible for Red Bull’s success in recent years. Between 2010 and 2024, the cars he developed won all driver’s titles and at least seven designers.
Although Newey is now working for the competition, Marko believes that Verstappen will also triumph in the season, which starts in Australia at the weekend. “World champion in 2025 will be Max Verstappen, but the technology department still has to work very hard. The Max does not have to have the fastest car, he would like to have that. But he has to get used to it now.”
McLaren had made the best impression in the test drives, defending champion in the design classification.