Verstappen's Drivers' Champioship 'Priority' At Red Bull Says Marko

Thursday, 05 September 2024 at 09:59

Helmut Marko clarified that the Red Bull Racing team now prioritizes the Max Verstappen's Drivers' title over the Constructors' Championship.

With Sergio Perez unable to finish better than P6 in the last ten Grand Prix races, Red Bull Racing struggled to maintain its lead in the Constructors' Championship.

If Max Verstappen had won as many races as he did in 2023, the Austrian team might be in a better position. However, due to a decline in performance, the Dutchman also wasn't able to win for quite some time—six Grand Prix races.

With eight race weekends to go, Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner suggested his team still fights for both Championships. However, many outside observers do not believe that.

Following the 2024 Italian Grand Prix, the Austrian F1 team led the Constructors' Championship by eight points. Many F1 fans on social media are already convinced that Red Bull has lost the title to McLaren (despite still being in the lead).

OE24 asked Red Bull's motorsport advisor Helmut Marko whether winning the Constructors' title was still possible "with Perez as a much worse second driver," and he responded:

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“"Checo is not bad, he is just slower. But the priority is, of course, that Max wins the drivers' championship."”

Most F1 teams tend to prioritize the Constructors' Championship because that is where they receive prize money, and the difference between each position in the Championship standings is millions of dollars.

On the other hand, Red Bull might have recognized that they might lose both titles if they don't focus on one, and the one where they have the highest chance is the drivers' championship.

OE24 also asked the 81-year-old whether he believed that Max Verstappen might still lose his title despite the 62-point lead with eight race weekends to go, and he responded: