Verstappen responds to Marko's 'alarming' Red Bull verdict

Max Verstappen believes the situation at Red Bull was "already a bit alarming" even before Lando Norris' crushing victory in the Dutch Grand Prix.

The 26-year-old finished his home race as runner-up, almost 23 seconds behind the McLaren driver, who also secured the fastest lap point at Zandvoort to cut Verstappen's drivers' championship lead to 70 points.

Having qualified over three-tenths of a second slower than pole-sitter Norris, the Dutchman swept into the lead before the first corner.

However, his RB20 was no match for the superior race pace of the MCL38 and the Briton regained the position, for good, on lap 18. 

After the race, it was put to Verstappen that Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko had called the result at Zandvoort alarming, and that both championships were at risk.

"I think this weekend was just a bad weekend in general," Verstappen replied to media including RacingNews365.

"We need to understand that. But the last few races already, they haven't really been fantastic.

"So that, I think in a sense, was already a bit alarming. But we know that we don't need to panic."

Despite what Marko asserts, the drivers' championship situation remains relatively comfortable for Verstappen.

The constructors' standings, however, look strikingly more ominous for Red Bull.

Having arrived at Zandvoort already fighting against momentum and struggling to prevent further reduction to its 42-point lead over McLaren, the reigning champions leave with that advantage cut to just 30 points.

McLaren brought further updates to the Dutch Grand Prix, which aided its strong weekend, whilst Red Bull continues to struggle in the development race.

"We are just trying to improve the situation," Verstappen explained. "And that's what we are working on. But F1 is very complicated."