F1
Helmut Marko gives worrying Red Bull update as Max Verstappen braced for more pain
Helmut Marko has admitted that Red Bull expect to struggle again at the upcoming races in Saudi Arabia and Miami, leaving Max Verstappen’s World Championship bid in an uncertain position. Red Bull have been inferior to both McLaren and Mercedes throughout the opening stages of the 2025 campaign, but a surprise win for Verstappen at the Japanese Grand Prix sparked hopes of a true championship battle.
Unfortunately for the four-time world champion, this hope was extinguished in Bahrain last weekend. The Milton Keynes squad had no pace to challenge Oscar Piastri for pole position at the sharp end of the grid, with Verstappen lining up in P7, one place behind fellow title hopeful Lando Norris. In the race, he could only recover to a P6 finish, passing Alpine’s Pierre Gasly on the final lap.
