Max Verstappen News: F1 boss Helmut Marko makes SHOCK admission over Red Bull role in Lando Norris collision

Lando Norris, Max Verstappen, Social, Photoshop, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

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Marko makes SHOCK admission over Red Bull role in Verstappen-Norris collision

Max Verstappen and Lando Norris made contact at the Austrian GP

Kevin McKenna

Tuesday 2 July 2024 11:57

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Red Bull boss Helmut Marko has weighed in on the debate surrounding Max Verstappen's collision with Lando Norris at the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix.

An intense battle for first position between the duo reached its dramatic climax on lap 64, with the cars coming together as Norris tried to go around the outside of his rival.

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Both drivers suffered punctures, but managed to make their way back to the pits in an effort to rescue their race.

Norris was forced to retire due to the extensive damage on his vehicle, whilst Verstappen recovered to finish fifth with a fresh tyre.

Mercedes driver George Russell was the lucky beneficiary of the incident, stealing in to take the lead and secure his second career victory, ahead of Oscar Piastri and Carlos Sainz.

George Russell took advantage of a late collision between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris

Norris and Verstappen came together in the closing stages in Austria

Blame game continues

Almost all of the post-race debrief centred on the collision between the top two in the drivers' standings, with blame being assigned to both parties.

Despite being hit with a penalty for his role in the incident, Verstappen dismissed claims he was at fault, whilst Norris questioned whether the pair could remain close friends during a stunning interview just moments after the race conclusion.

The Brit was backed by his team boss, Andrea Stella, who suggested the FIA's handling of similar incident between Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton in 2021 had set a dangerous precedent.

Speaking to Austrian broadcaster Servus TV, Red Bull chief Marko surprisingly admitted his own team could have taken action to prevent the two drivers coming together.

Helmut Marko suggested that Red Bull could take taken action to prevent the incident

The 81-year-old pointed to the fact that, at the moment of contact, Norris was under investigation for exceeding track limits, something which could have resulted in a penalty therefore negating the need for Verstappen to defend his position so aggressively.

Offering his assessment, Marko said: “I think they both drove unnecessarily fiercely.

"In doing so, maybe we should have intervened as well because we knew there was an investigation going on about Lando and track limits - we just didn’t know yet if he would be punished.

“With hindsight, you can then say: ‘Okay, let him go [past]’, but let’s look on the bright side, we increased our lead in both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships.

"It was a great fight until it somehow degenerated - who brakes where, who grabs more track limits, instead of focusing on a fair finish.”

Red Bull Max Verstappen FIA Lando Norris Helmut Marko Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix