Max Verstappen handed 'no chance' verdict without rain salvation

Helmut Marko has made it clear that Max Verstappen has "no chance" of landing a podium finish in the São Paulo sprint unless rain comes to the Red Bull driver's aid.

Although second quickest in SQ1, Verstappen scraped into the top-10 shootout by a tenth of a second, bemoaning the fact that his car was "completely broken" and "undriveable", primarily due to a lack of balance in the RB21.

Verstappen managed to qualify sixth for the 24-lap event at Interlagos on Saturday morning local time, finishing a third of a second adrift of polesitter Lando Norris in his McLaren. Verstappen goes into the sprint trailing Norris by 36 points in the drivers' standings.

What was clear was that whilst the RB21 was quick through the low-downforce first and third sectors, with Verstappen fastest of all in the first, it lacked the balance required through the twisty second sector, where he bled lap time.

"If you look at sectors one and three, we are hundredths away from Norris," said Marko, speaking to Sky Sports F1. "In the middle sector, where there are the most corners, there is basically no grip.

"It means we don't have enough downforce, and that's something we can't cure for the sprint race.

"But hopefully, with all the data we get, we can adapt and make the car more competitive for the main race."

The saving grace for Verstappen in the sprint is that the weather forecast is for heavy rain, which could play a decisive role when you consider his stunning performance a year ago to win the grand prix from 17th on the grid in wretched conditions.

"There'll be hope for Max," said Marko. "He has to make the difference."

As to whether Verstappen could secure a podium, Marko added: "It must rain; otherwise, no chance."