Alarm bells ring for Marko as he demands 'urgent...'

Alarm bells ring for Marko as he demands ‘urgent…’ read more.

Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s external advisor, has raised concerns over Red Bull’s recent performance following the Singapore Grand Prix. The Austrian expressed alarm after McLaren’s Lando Norris comfortably pulled away from Max Verstappen during the race. Verstappen finished second but trailed Norris by nearly 21 seconds at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. At one point, the gap widened to almost 30 seconds, a significant difference that has caused Marko to call for an “urgent” improvement in Red Bull’s performance.

Adding to Red Bull’s concerns, Sergio Perez endured a challenging weekend. After a poor qualifying session, Perez struggled to recover during the race and could only manage a single point for the team. This allowed McLaren to take further advantage, as both their drivers, Norris and Oscar Piastri, finished on the podium, resulting in McLaren extending their lead in the Constructors’ World Championship by 41 points.

Marko, who has been involved in Red Bull’s Formula 1 operations for years, described the performance gap as “alarming.” Speaking to Oe24, he remarked on how quickly Norris managed to pull away from Verstappen during the race. “It’s crazy how he (Norris) drove away. Our deficit is alarming. We urgently need performance,” he said.

The Singapore Grand Prix highlighted issues within Red Bull that they’ll need to address as the season progresses. While Verstappen remains at the top of the Drivers’ Championship, with a 52-point lead, the team’s struggles in Singapore have provided an opportunity for their rivals to close the gap. Norris’s strong performance in particular has raised concerns, as he continues to challenge Red Bull’s dominance.

Despite Verstappen’s comfortable lead, Marko is not complacent. With six rounds left in the championship, he is determined to close the performance gap and prevent further losses. “Thank God we now have four weeks to work on it. There is still a lot to be done,” Marko said, referring to the upcoming break before the United States Grand Prix.

The gap between races now resembles the summer break, giving teams an extended period to make improvements. However, unlike the summer break, Formula 1 teams are allowed to work during this time. Red Bull plans to use the break to implement critical upgrades and expects these changes to have a positive impact at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, where the next race will take place on October 20.

Red Bull has enjoyed a dominant season so far, particularly through Verstappen’s consistent performances. However, the recent surge from McLaren has raised concerns about their rivals’ growing strength. Red Bull will need to maximize the upcoming break and ensure their upgrades deliver the necessary improvements to maintain their advantage in both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ championships.

As the Formula 1 calendar enters a brief hiatus, all eyes will be on Red Bull’s ability to respond. Marko’s call for an “urgent” performance boost indicates that the team recognizes the need for swift and decisive action. Whether Red Bull can successfully make the necessary improvements remains to be seen, but the upcoming races will be crucial in determining the outcome of this year’s championship.