Red Bull boss Helmut Marko likened reigning world champion Max Verstappen to a ‘time bomb’ - and warned the Dutchman could explode if he doesn’t get another win in 2022 soon.
Verstappen won his maiden drivers’ title in acrimonious circumstances in Abu Dhabi last year when he pipped Lewis Hamilton to the championship. However, the 24-year-old has struggled in the defence of his crown this season.
While Red Bull have constructed a competitive car, reliability has proved to be an issue. Verstappen failed to finish in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix and the Australian Grand Prix last time out, with both races won by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
Verstappen won the second race of the season in Saudi Arabia, but Leclerc came second. The Monegasque driver now has a 46-point lead over the Dutchman - and Marko believes the Red Bull star needs a win soon.
The Austrian, who works as an advisor to the Red Bull F1 team, suggested Verstappen - who Marko signed to Red Bull’s junior teams in 2014 - will explode if his fortunes don't change soon. The handling of the 2022 car, the RB18, has made it more difficult for Verstappen to take advantage of his aggressive driving style.
“With the set-up of the car, you sometimes lack the confidence to maintain his [Verstappen’s] extreme driving style,” Marko said after Verstappen’s DNF in Melbourne. “You can see that this makes Checo [Perez] closer to him than in the past. If we don't win again soon, then he is indeed a time bomb!”
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Marko added that the Dutchman’s team mate Sergio Perez - who beat Verstappen to pole in Saudi Arabia - has also added to the pressure he finds himself under. The Mexican also secured P2 in Melbourne, and he currently sits fourth in the drivers’ standings - five points clear of Verstappen.
“He is a lot calmer,” Marko said after Verstappen’s DNF in Melbourne. “After his retirement, he returned to the pit box and we discussed things calmly.
“However, in this case, we knew we could run into that problem, because we also had to deal with that in qualifying, so it didn't come out of the blue in that regard. He is an emotional and passionate driver who will always give his opinion. But, in my view, he is a lot calmer than in the past.”
The 22-race F1 2022 campaign - which is expected to return to a record 23 races in the near future once a Russian Grand Prix replacement is found - continues with the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on April 24.
