F1 News: Monza podium unlikely for Verstappen driving RB21 dog
(GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has warned that Max Verstappen, driving the Red Bull RB21 dog, may struggle even to reach the podium at Monza this weekend, despite the circuit’s layout appearing more favorable than Zandvoort.
Max Verstappen salvaged second place at his home race, but both he and team advisor Marko now unanimously admit the championship fight is over.
“Up front, (Oscar) Piastri will just cruise through the next race – now that the championship seems to be decided for him,” Marko told the Osterreich newspaper.
“You have to be realistic,” the 82-year-old added. “McLaren is like from another planet. When they put the foot down, they’re three-quarters of a second per lap ahead of us.
“At least we’ve pulled away from Ferrari and Mercedes; they’re a second behind.”
Editor’s Note: Who is Marko kidding? If not for Verstappen, the Red Bull car is a backmarker in the hands of every other driver who has driven it.
Verstappen himself has admitted he may not win another race in 2025, but Marko is more optimistic. “On tracks like Baku, Austin, Jeddah or Mexico it can work out – the faster the better,” he said.
As for Monza, though, Marko sees little chance. “Too soon.
“Plus there are too many chicanes there,” he explained. “Even a podium will be tough for us behind the McLarens.”
Even beyond this season, Red Bull faces its biggest challenge yet with its first in-house engine project for 2026, developed in conjunction with Ford. Former boss Christian Horner had warned that the team may struggle.
“If you look at the experience of our competitors, that’s probably true,” Marko admitted.
“But I say – let’s wait and see. The topic is so complex that under the new regulations anything is possible. There will be huge surprises, both positive and negative. For now, I’ll think positive.”
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Red Bull Technical Department Has ‘Completely Lost Its Way’
Laurent Mekies has earned widespread praise since stepping in to replace Christian Horner at Red Bull. While on-track results have been inconsistent, his impact remains somewhat constrained at this early stage.
Mekies enjoyed an ideal debut when Max Verstappen triumphed in the Belgium Sprint, followed by the team’s strongest Grand Prix performance of the new era with a second-place finish at Zandvoort last weekend. However, sandwiched between these highs was a dismal outing at the Hungaroring—one of Red Bull’s poorest showings in recent years.
Helmut Marko has lauded Mekies as “excellent” following his promotion from Racing Bulls, highlighting his effective delegation of greater authority to department heads at the Milton Keynes headquarters.
Even competitors, such as Toto Wolff and Zak Brown, have expressed approval of Mekies’ appointment, anticipating smoother and more amicable interactions with Red Bull moving forward.
Laurent Mekies Faces the Challenge of Reviving Red Bull’s Struggling Technical Department
Both Horner and Marko have frequently attributed the team’s recent downturn to their antiquated wind tunnel facilities. Red Bull dominated—at least with Verstappen at the wheel—from the onset of the ground-effect regulations in 2022 until the spring of last year.
The team is now constructing a state-of-the-art wind tunnel, having noted that the existing one hails from the Cold War era. Yet, Racing Bulls has shared the same setup and developed a car that’s widely regarded as more aerodynamically efficient, evidenced by Isack Hadjar’s podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix.
Hadjar and Liam Lawson have consistently outperformed Yuki Tsunoda in qualifying sessions, underscoring Red Bull’s heavy dependence on Verstappen’s exceptional skills. Insiders speaking to *The Limburger* assert that the technical department has “completely lost its way.”
Engineers have “tried everything” to balance the RB21, rolling out multiple significant upgrade packages, but “nothing seems to work.” This points to a deeper, more “fundamentally wrong” issue at play.
Could Toto Wolff’s 2026 Red Bull Prediction Be Aimed at Max Verstappen?
With his engineering expertise, Mekies is well-positioned to diagnose and address these core problems—though it may require time to yield results.
Reports indicate that Verstappen’s entourage already harbored doubts about the technical team, particularly director Pierre Waché, who assumed the role of chief designer after Adrian Newey’s exit.
Looking ahead to 2026, Toto Wolff warns that Red Bull faces a daunting “Mount Everest” in developing their in-house power unit. If aerodynamic optimization falters amid this transition, the team could encounter serious difficulties.
It’s likely Wolff is using these remarks to subtly appeal to Verstappen, as Mercedes boss persists in his pursuit of the four-time world champion for a potential future move, even after missing out on securing him for 2026.