Helmut Marko shocked to see Max Verstappen have the same pace as Williams’ Franco Colapinto in Singapore GP practice
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko was surprised seeing Max Verstappen compete alongside rookie Franco Colapinto.
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Max Verstappen, Helmut Marko and Franco Colapinto (Images via IMAGO)
Red Bull and Max Verstappen struggled during the 2024 Singapore GP practice sessions. Verstappen had a decent start, finishing fourth in the first practice, but things took a turn for the worse in the second session, where he ended up 15th. Dr. Helmut Marko was stunned to see the three-time world champion matching the pace of Williams driver Franco Colapinto.
Max Verstappen struggled in Baku with car issues in low-speed corners, which impacted his qualifying and starting position. He finished P5, even behind Lando Norris, who started his outing from P15 in the race.
Verstappen acknowledged that the Singapore GP would present an even greater challenge for him, which exactly happened at yesterday’s practice session. Dr. Helmut Marko was surprised to see the Dutchman matching the pace of Williams’ Franco Colapinto, who is only in his third-ever F1 outing.
We have the same pace as Colapinto.Helmut Marko told Motorsport-total
Marko explained that Verstappen’s car is facing serious issues, causing nothing to go right this weekend. He noted that the 26-year-old is struggling to find grip on both the soft and hard tires. This is affecting the car’s overall balance and making it undrivable for him. Red Bull needs to address the issues and fix them immediately. If they don’t act quickly, they risk losing second place to Ferrari, who are performing at par with McLaren.
Nothing works with Max's car. He has no grip on either the soft or the hard tyre and has no balance at all.Helmut Marko added.
Red Bull in a ‘worrying’ situation after Max Verstappen’s P15 finish
Marko expressed that the current situation is very concerning for the team. He believed they needed to take strong action to improve things and further emphasized the need for a drastic approach to exploring various options to find an effective solution. Marko was determined to figure out what strategies they could implement to turn things around.
At the moment, I would say that the situation is very worrying. In any case, we have to try something drastic now. Let's see what we can try.Helmut Marko stated.
If Verstappen’s performance remains the same and Red Bull can’t fix their issues, he risks losing the championship. This situation might prompt him to consider activating his exit clause and leaving Red Bull by the end of the year. Fans hope the team gives Verstappen a setup that helps him secure a front-row start for the upcoming 62-lap race.
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Gaurang Kadam
(535 Articles Published)