Marko denies Verstappen Red Bull favouritism

Red Bull Motorsport Advisor Dr Helmut Marko has again moved to clarify that the Milton Keynes-based squad is not favouring Max Verstappen.

Verstappen is dominating the current F1 season, winning 10 of the 12 races staged so far to take a 125-point advantage over teammate Sergio Perez in the Drivers’ Championship, who has struggled for form this year.

The performance differential between the duo has led to suggestions that Red Bull is developing its cars to suit Verstappen.

“No, that is not true. At the beginning of 2022 the car suffered a lot of understeer," Marko told Motorsport Magazin.

"This was due to the car being overweight. In the long run, you will not be successful with an overweight car, but as the car became lighter, the car went more to a 'neutral' balance - or even a bit more oversteer.”

Red Bull stability behind F1 success

Red Bull dominated last season before taking another step forward this year.

Its run of success has seen it set a new record for the most consecutive race wins in F1, sitting at 13 with the likelihood of Verstappen and Perez extending the streak.

On why Red Bull had found such success, Marko said: "I think because we have a team that has been unchanged for years.

“So the continuity, the stability in the whole organisation and the flexibility to make quick decisions.”

Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz passed away last year and while it momentarily disrupted the senior structure, Marko asserts that the system is now back to normal.

“All that has now been sorted out and we have exactly the same decision-making process again as when Mateschitz was alive.”