F1 News: Verstappen knows 2025 title impossible with ‘RB21 sled’

(GMM) Dr Helmut Marko admits Max Verstappen is slowly giving up the fight for his fifth consecutive drivers’ world championship because the Red Bull RB21 is a sled, i.e. a dog.

Indeed, the Red Bull driver seemed nonplussed with his FIA penalties in Barcelona that dropped him to P10, almost 50 points behind Oscar Piastri, and on the brink of a race ban.

When asked by Osterreich newspaper if it’s a sign that Verstappen is slowly giving up on his chances in 2025, Red Bull advisor Marko confessed: “That’s right.

“I’m trying to cheer him up because we’re not giving up yet. But something has to be done with the car.”

Marko, 82, said Verstappen was actually in great spirits heading into Barcelona – as a new father to baby Lily, and with signs that the Imola car upgrade would also work well in Spain.

“He was more relaxed,” Marko confirmed, “until Spain.

“A lot of things happened to him there. They put the wrong tire on him, he had to give up his position even though he believed he was 100 percent in the right, then there was (Charles) Leclerc’s action on the straight.

“At some point, you lose your temper.”

Marko scolded theories that Verstappen is deliberately trying to trigger a contract exit clause, but when asked about the highly controversial clash with George Russell, the Austrian admitted: “Max could have handled it much more elegantly.

“Alleged exit clauses seem to be popping up everywhere now, but none of that is relevant at the moment,” Marko added.

It is believed Marko actually met with Verstappen this week in Austria. When asked if the quadruple world champion has finally calmed down, he answered: “Yes, but that doesn’t solve our problem.

“Our car just isn’t fast enough. That bothers me even more than Max’s actions. We’re still three tenths behind McLaren.” And any other driver beside Verstappen in the RB21 sled is a full second slower than the McLarens.