F1 world champion Max Verstappen says he will stop racing for Red Bull if his personal advisor Helmut Marko is fired.
On the evening of March 8, Verstappen won pole position at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, achieving the fastest qualifying time in Jeddah with 1 minute 27.472 seconds. This result was not surprising, compared to his statement after the race, when the driver heard that Marko was at risk of being punished for revealing documents about inappropriate behavior by team leader Christian Horner with a female member of the racing team.
Verstappen (left) and advisor Helmut Marko after the F1 race in Canada on June 19, 2022. Photo: Red Bull
"I couldn't continue racing with Red Bull without Marko," Verstappen said on March 8. "He is very important in my decisions, and I am very loyal to him."
Marko, 81, is a former racing driver and senior advisor to Red Bull since 1990, and has been instrumental in developing world champions Sebastian Vettel and Verstappen since they were racing in the junior team. He has seen Verstappen as a future star of F1 since he was 16. The media also suspected that Verstappen's contract with Red Bull contained a clause that would allow him to leave for free if Marko had to leave the team.
Verstappen, 27, is a three-time world champion with Red Bull in 2021, 2022 and 2023. He holds many records such as most wins in a season, most consecutive wins and highest win percentage. His contract with Red Bull runs until 2028.
Mercedes are closely monitoring developments between Verstappen and Red Bull, as they look to bring him in as a replacement for Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time world champion will leave Mercedes at the end of 2024 to join Ferrari.
Xuan Binh
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