Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko has said he believes if Max Verstappen were racing for Ferrari "things would look different" in the series, when compared to the current levels of domination he enjoys with Red Bull.
The 80-year-old judges the pairing to be an "unbeatable combination" - a view that is supported by the way the Dutch driver has eased to his two most recent F1 drivers' titles.
Verstappen has continued that form into 2024, claiming three victories from the opening four rounds whilst he remains unbeaten in qualifying.
Red Bull has also been buoyed by a resurgent Sergio Perez, who has started to silence doubters with his performances this season, securing three second-places as part of three Red Bull one-two finishes.
When asked if Perez's return to form is owed to him being more comfortable this season with a car tailored towards Verstappen, Marko quickly put the emphasis back on the Dutchman.
"That's true, but Max [Verstappen] always goes for the fastest setup," he told oe24 ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix.
"Of course, this isn't always easy to drive. When a car is fast, it is restless and toxic. This is where driving skills come into play. That's why Max is always the fastest in the qualifying sessions."
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'Max will drive where he has the best car'
Whilst on-track results have been strong, Red Bull have began the season mired by controversy, with team principal Christian Horner at the centre of sexual harassment allegations.
Although the case brought against him was dismissed, the internal turmoil has caused fractures to show, with star driver Verstappen being linked to a move to Mercedes - something once thought unthinkable. However, Marko remains confident that if the team can continue to deliver the quickest car, he will stay.
"He always wants to be in the fastest car, and Max in the Red Bull, that's an unbeatable combination," the Austrian explained.
"But if you put Max in a Ferrari, things would look different. The 20 seconds that he is ahead of Checo [Perez] correspond to his driving superiority."
"Max will drive where he has the best car and he has that at Red Bull. Nothing else is on the horizon."
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