Disgruntled F1 giant voices massive claim

3 years ago 298

A disgruntled Red Bull authoritative has made the ailment that Max Verstappen's pursuit of a maiden Formula 1 rubric has been hamstrung by nary responsibility of his own.

Verstappen edged rubric rival Lewis Hamilton astatine the United States Grand Prix past Monday (AEDT) to widen his pb successful the satellite title to 12 points.

But Red Bull Formula 1 advisor Helmut Marko has claimed that Verstappen would beryllium starring the Mercedes ace by much than 50 points if luck had gone his mode successful 3 melodramatic races.

Verstappen appeared to beryllium cruising to triumph astatine the Azerbaijan Grand Prix successful June erstwhile his left-rear tyre exploded with conscionable 5 laps remaining, ending his contention successful that moment. Hamilton wouldn't person immoderate points, either, aft his brakes locked up pursuing a restart, resulting successful a 15th-placed finish.

Verstappen was past progressive successful a ferociously debated incidental with Hamilton astatine Copse Corner connected the opening thigh of the British Grand Prix successful July, erstwhile the seven-time satellite champion attempted an ambitious overtake connected his inside. The beforehand of Hamilton's Mercedes clipped the backmost of Verstappen's Red Bull, sending the 23-year-old flying crossed the gravel. Verstappen's time was done and, contempt being dealt a 10-second penalty, Hamilton won the contention and bagged 27 points.

Tyre nonaccomplishment puts Verstappen retired of Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Marko besides pointed retired an disfigured incidental involving Verstappen astatine the Hungarian Grand Prix successful August, in which the Dutchman was 1 of 5 drivers eliminated from the contention aft Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes triggered chaos astatine the archetypal turn. Hamilton grabbed 18 points for a second-placed finish.

The 3 costly incidents person led Marko to airing his frustrations up of the last 5 races of the season, opening with the Mexican Grand Prix adjacent weekend.

Verstappen survives large clang astatine British GP

"Before the past 3 races, we really feared that we would beryllium importantly behind," Marko told the Autosport website.

"The bottommost enactment is that we scored much points than Hamilton successful those grands prix, chiefly due to the fact that of Hamilton's contention successful Turkey wherever helium was lone fifth, portion Max finished 2nd successful Sochi – surely by luck, arsenic well, due to the fact that of the rain.

"But adjacent much singular is we innocently mislaid Baku, mislaid Silverstone and mislaid Hungary. If you cipher the magnitude of points we mislaid carefully, past it's implicit 50 points successful those 3 races.

"As a effect we are lone 12 points up now. So, we person survived each those setbacks. And we person besides been capable to lucifer the upswing from Mercedes."

F1 mayhem astatine crook 1 successful Hungary

Formula 1 commentary icon Martin Brundle wrote successful a Sky Sports file this week that the adjacent 2 races, to beryllium staged successful Mexico and Brazil, would favour Red Bull.

Brundle said the Honda portion turbo architecture would beryllium amended suited to the precocious altitude than Mercedes' technology.

Marko holds the aforesaid view.

"Looking astatine the remaining races, I deliberation we person to triumph astatine slightest 2 much races to beryllium reasonably harmless or, let's say, assured going into the last race," Marko said.

"The high-altitude tracks of Brazil and Mexico should suit america importantly better.

"It's conscionable that truthful overmuch has already happened this season.

"So-called Mercedes tracks weren't Mercedes tracks successful the end, and the aforesaid goes for Red Bull tracks."

Hamilton (2016, 2019) and Verstappen (2017, 2018) person 2 Mexican Grand Prix wins apiece.

After 17 rounds of the satellite championship, Verstappen is starring connected 287.5 points and Hamilton is sitting 2nd connected 275.5.

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