Helmut Marko hands McLaren 'substantial' Max Verstappen F1 title fight warning

Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has warned McLaren's drivers that with "substantial" points still up for grabs, Max Verstappen remains a threat in the F1 drivers' title. 

Across the second half of the season there remains 332 points up for grabs, with Verstappen sitting 69 points adrift of championship leader Oscar Piastri. 

Lando Norris is only eight points behind his team-mate, and is viewed by many as Piastri's only rival for the championship. 

However, Marko is insistent that Verstappen is not out of the fight, especially with Red Bull having upgrades for the next two rounds.

"There are still 332 points up for grabs this season, and that's still quite substantial," Marko told OE24. 

"We hope that the upgrades we will take to Spa and Budapest will have a decent impact [on performance]."

The Milton Keynes-based outfit will introduce upgrades in the Belgian and Hungarian Grands Prix, in what is the latest boost to Verstappen. 

However, F1's visit to Spa-Francorchamps falls on a sprint weekend, reducing the practice time for the four-time world champion to determine the performance of the new parts. 

Asked if the Belgian GP featuring a sprint is an advantage, Marko answered: "Yes and no. On the one hand it does allow us to score more points, but on the other hand it also deprives us of two practice sessions. 

"We can't afford any disasters during Friday's practice and then get the car in the right working window with the tyres. Everything has to be right from the very first minute." 

Should Verstappen secure victory in Belgium, it would increase belief in the paddock that he could get involved in the title fight.

Marko is not ruling out Verstappen managing to seal a fifth consecutive drivers title this year, saying: "That chance is there, yes."