Interview with Helmut Marko: & # 34; Verstappen has overtaken everywhere & # 34;

W That is your conclusion on the race in Russia?

Marko: We saw a sensational ride from the Max. And the Mercedes couldn't follow us for a long time. On much fresher tires. The Ricciardo had a problem with a damaged front wing. He got that in the fray of the first lap. That means very good prospects for the next races.

Did Red Bull give away a victory with the engine penalty?

Marko: We might not have won, but we would certainly have made it onto the podium. That opens up good opportunities for us on the other tracks now. We modified things on the car that didn't work so well before. It looks very good for Mexico and Suzuka.

Couldn't Max Verstappen have been kept on the track longer?

Red Bull

Before the race, Max Verstappen's 21st birthday was celebrated in the Red Bull camp.

Marko: The tires were already at their limit. We would have done better the last stint with the hypersoft tire. In retrospect, it worked better on our car than the Ultrasoft. It more or less collapsed after one round.

What do you think of Max Verstappen's first round?

Marko: Incredible. Max has overtaken left, right, up and down, and his opponents didn't even know what happened.

Is that a different Verstappen than at the beginning of the season?

Marko: He no longer makes mistakes and drives with a sovereignty and a matter of course that at the moment he is the only one who is at the level ofHamilton moves.

How much did Ricciardo lose from the front wing damage?

Marko: But a lot. The front tires have deteriorated more. That forced him to drive a different way.

The two Red Bulls were at the back of the grid. Have you thought about splitting the tactic beforehand?

Marko: There was only one tactic with a high probability of winning World Cup points. A tactic split would not have helped.

What do you think about the World Cup fight?

Marko: Unfortunately, this is for Mercedes decided. It's amazing how Ferrari recently dismantled. Not just in terms of power. They were clearly slower in Sector 3, and that's where handling matters. But that was already indicated in Singapore.