Formula 1 News: Marko believes Verstappen can catch McLarens

(GMM) With only four races remaining, Max Verstappen (pictured) is refusing to give up on his bid to overhaul McLaren’s leading duo in the world championship.

The Red Bull driver sits third on 321 points, trailing Lando Norris (357) and Oscar Piastri (356) ahead of this weekend’s Brazilian GP at Interlagos – a circuit where Verstappen has delivered some of his most famous performances.

“We have already achieved several miracles in Brazil,” Dr Helmut Marko told ntv. “If it rains, our chances of finishing ahead of both McLarens increase.

“We believe in it. We have the will and a small chance. We managed it in the last race in 2010. And again in 2012. And in 2021, Verstappen became world champion on the last lap.

“Max has already achieved some remarkable feats, but if he manages this comeback, it would be particularly sensational.”

The 82-year-old Austrian also pointed to major progress since Red Bull’s recent restructuring surrounding the departure of Christian Horner.

“All the changes and developments have come together perfectly,” Marko told the Dutch magazine Formule 1. “That’s why the car is now more competitive.

“With his experience, Max now has an important voice in the technical discussions again. It was important that the engineers started listening to Max more. They did that before too, but not to the same extent as now.”

Red Bull’s renewed focus comes as McLaren halted 2025 car development some time ago to prioritize its 2026 project – while Red Bull introduced a sixth underbody specification in Mexico, with further tweaks still possible.

Weather forecasts for Sao Paulo suggest more rain chaos could be on the way – conditions that have often played to Verstappen’s strengths.

Meanwhile, tensions appear to be rising at McLaren – exemplified by the now 1-point gap between them.

“At McLaren, Piastri is suddenly showing nerves, and Norris is in top form,” observed Ralf Schumacher on Sky Deutschland. “He’s currently the more composed driver. But the two have clashed frequently before. This could prove decisive.”

Schumacher added: “The question is how tough things are within the team now. You get the feeling that Piastri isn’t entirely comfortable anymore and is somehow hearing every little thing – that’s obviously a problem.

“He would be well advised at the moment to concentrate on his job and worry less about whether the team might favor someone. The team doesn’t care – the main thing is that they become drivers’ world champions.”

According to Schumacher, Brazil will be a defining weekend.

“This weekend is absolutely crucial. He (Verstappen) needs to close the gap now and might need a bit of help. After Brazil, it will become clear whether he still has a chance.”