“We actually expected Ferrari more,” Helmut Marko reveals Red Bull is shocked to see Mercedes start alongside Max Verstappen for Mexican GP

“We actually expected Ferrari more,” Helmut Marko reveals Red Bull is shocked to see Mercedes start alongside Max Verstappen for Mexican GP

Helmut Marko

Max Verstappen during the qualifying sessions of the Mexican GP, put another one of his prolific performances on display, on the back of which he has attained P1 for the upcoming Grand Prix.

However, while Max Verstappen’s pole hasn’t come as a huge surprise to the Red Bull team, what has shocked them a bit, is the fact that a Mercedes is starting alongside the 25-year-old instead of a Ferrari livery.

The Ferrari F1 team since landing in Mexico City has struggled for pace throughout the first two days of the event as their F1-75 has just not looked at ease.

Moreover, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz haven’t been able to fully get to grips with the demands of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez Circuit, and the result of this was seen during qualifying where the duo finished their respective outings in P5 and P7.

After the qualifying session, Helmut Marko added, “We actually expected Ferrari more. At Mercedes, we didn’t know exactly whether they were bluffing.”

Max Verstappen and Helmut Marko hope that Ferrari is stronger during the Mexican GP

Helmut Marko (L) and Max Verstappen (R)
Helmut Marko and Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen after the end of the qualifying session revealed that he did not get off to the best of starts when Q1 got underway.

While talking about the same he added, “The start of qualifying wasn’t that easy, It was a bit warmer than in the third training session. Everyone slipped around a little more. We first had to find the right balance again. We then managed that a little better in each qualifying round.”

The Dutchman has revealed that as the sessions went on, he felt more and more comfortable in the car as in between the sessions, the team was able to make good setup changes that helped him in finding more pace.

Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen

With the qualifying sessions done and dusted Helmut Marko has further talked about what could benefit Red Bull during the race and has indicated that the Milton-Keynes-based Team wants Ferrari to be strong during the Grand Prix.

While explaining Marko added, “First of all we have to see how the start turns out. They have two cars in front. I hope that the Ferraris are stronger in the race so that Mercedes can also get pressure from behind. And Sergio is yes still there. It’s going to be very tight.”

Ferrari F1-75
Ferrari F1-75

The Austrian has made it clear that if Ferrari would be able to find pace during the race, then it would help Red Bull’s cause as they would put pressure on the Mercedes duo that is starting behind Max Verstappen.

Considering that Mercedes has not won a single race in 2022, the Mexican GP is their golden chance of changing it and Hamilton and Russell are going to put extreme pressure on Verstappen at the start. Who is going to come away from Mexico with the maximum points?