Helmut Marko has bad news for Max Verstappen following reveal of new Red Bull

Former Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has delivered a stark warning about the 2026 F1 season, predicting that a driver using Mercedes power will claim the title, which is bad news for four-time champion Max Verstappen.

With the sport heading into a major regulatory overhaul in 2026, Marko believes the competitive landscape will shift dramatically.

"Last year, the field had never been so close together," he said, speaking to ORF. "There were races where, in qualifying, there were 20 cars within seven hundredths of each other."

The Austrian is convinced that the technical complexity of the new regulations will create substantial performance gaps between manufacturers, favouring Mercedes in the power unit department.

"I think that gap will widen considerably," Marko explained. "The regulations are the way they are, but you have to give it a chance. However, I fear that the differences will increase dramatically."

The new technical framework introduces multiple variables that could prove decisive. "You have to remember that we have the internal combustion engine, the battery and then the software for feedback. So those are already factors, along with the carbon-free petrol," he continued.

Marko's concerns extend beyond just the power unit, encompassing the entire technical package. "Then there is also the chassis with the flexible wings, and all these other things, and especially the battery performance will be crucial. There are so many things coming together that I fear that sometimes there will be seconds between them."

Marko's warnings about potentially massive time gaps echo memories of 2014, when Mercedes' early mastery of the turbo-hybrid regulations left competitors scrambling for years to catch up.

"I hope there won't be such differences as there were in 2014, when Mercedes left everyone far behind with a huge lead," he said. "But from what you hear, Mercedes seems to be the furthest along in engine development."

Not looking good for Max Verstappen

When pressed on who might emerge victorious, Marko was unequivocal in his assessment of Mercedes' prospects.

"I fear it will be a driver using a Mercedes engine," he stated. "It could be Lando Norris. Williams is reportedly making quite a bit of progress."

Marko also highlighted Mercedes driver George Russell's potential, suggesting the 27-year-old Briton faces a crucial career juncture.

"And, of course, George Russell is someone who, if he really wants to be among the world's best, has to live up to that now and drive for the world championship," concluded Marko.

For Verstappen, Marko's prediction represents a sobering reality check after the launch of the new RB22 in Detroit on Thursday, and will make winning a fifth F1 drivers' title difficult.