Helmut Marko declares Max Verstappen ‘pushed to the limit’ at Saudi Arabian GP

Red Bull advisor Dr. Helmut Marko acknowledged Max Verstappen's incredible efforts during the Saudi Arabian GP.

Helmut Marko declares Max Verstappen ‘pushed to the limit’ at Saudi Arabian GP

Max Verstappen and Helmut Marko (via Red Bull)

Formula 1’s reigning world champion, Max Verstappen has not had the best of starts in 2025. The Dutch driver faces a stiff challenge against McLaren this year as Red Bull struggle against the Woking-based squad. The Saudi Arabian GP was proof that Verstappen was leaving no stone unturned in the battle against his rivals. Red Bull Motorsport Consultant Dr. Helmut Marko admitted that the 27-year-old gave his maximum at the Jeddah weekend.

The four-time world champion qualified on pole position on Saturday, surprising many in the paddock. Max Verstappen hoped to retain the lead at the start of the race. However, things did not go as planned for the Red Bull driver as he ran wide against Oscar Piastri. Verstappen refused to give the position to the Australian driver and was handed a five-second time penalty. Ultimately, this cost him the race lead. With the McLaren driver going to win the Grand Prix.

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Dr. Helmut Marko pointed out that tire wear played a critical role during the race. The Austrian claimed that Verstappen was able to get a decent lead ahead of Piastri at the start of the race, while the McLaren struggled with tire degradation. Dirty air affected cars behind, making it difficult to follow. This continued when Max Verstappen lost the lead to Oscar Piastri.

You could see it – he pulled a three-second gap early on. Piastri was already complaining about tyre degradation. When you’re following another car, it’s always tougher.

Helmut Marko told Sky Germany

The Red Bull advisor recalled Verstappen’s second stint in the race, when he took up the hard tires. The 81-year-old claimed that the reigning world champion was pushing himself to the limit to catch the McLaren upfront. Ultimately, it was not enough and the 27-year-old crossed the finish line in second place.

And on the second stint with the hard tires, when Max really pushed to the limit, we were closing in again.

Helmut Marko added

Helmut Marko questions Max Verstappen’s penalty

The five-second time penalty became the talk of the topic after the race. On the team radio, Max Verstappen had claimed that he was pushed off and had nowhere else to go. The reigning world champion was left fuming after losing the Grand Prix to Piastri and refused to discuss the incident with the media.

Max Verstappen (via Red Bull)
Max Verstappen (via Red Bull)

Helmut Marko admitted that the Turn 1 incident was where Max Verstappen lost the race, hinting at the time penalty. The 81-yea-old made it clear that there was really no option for the 27-year-old but to run wide.

I think the race was lost at the start. And really, where was Max supposed to go?

Helmut Marko questioned

Moreover, the Austrian claimed that during the Formula 2 races during the weekend, similar instances happened with a handful of drivers. However, Marko stated that such cases were dealt with by just giving warnings to the drivers instead of any time penalties. The Red Bull advisor asserted that the penalty was slightly harsh in what has been inconsistent stewarding this year.

We watched the Formula 2 races, and the same thing happened to two or three drivers. They were only given warnings. So in our view, the five-second penalty was a bit harsh… the inconsistency in stewarding is difficult to understand.

Helmut Marko explained

Certainly, Verstappen and Red Bull are far from happy after the Saudi Arabian GP. Milton Keynes has tried to prove that there was no option for the 27-year-old. However, such efforts will not make a difference as there has been no formal appeal against the penalty. As such, it would be better for the Austrian team to move on from the incident and focus on the next race in Miami.