Red Bull F1 chief Helmut Marko reveals upgrade timeline before dropping huge championship bombshell

Verstappen, Marko, socials — Photo: © IMAGO

Red Bull

Red Bull chief reveals KEY upgrade timeline before dropping huge championship bombshell

Helmut Marko has provided some hope for Red Bull fans

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Wednesday 18 September 2024 11:57

Red Bull chief Helmut Marko has suggested when the team's fortunes may turn around, with upgrades coming for the Milton Keynes outfit.

The team surrendered their constructors' championship lead at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with McLaren racing into a 20-point lead following Oscar Piastri's victory and Lando Norris' fourth-place finish.

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Red Bull's drivers meanwhile could only muster 10 points between them, with Max Verstappen finishing fifth and Sergio Perez suffering a point-less afternoon following a penultimate lap collision.

It's the latest disappointment in what has been a difficult season for the reigning champions, who have gone from being the dominant team on the grid to arguably the fourth fastest behind McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes.

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Red Bull had another difficult afternoon in Baku

Helmut Marko has been positive about when Red Bull may experience better results

When are Red Bull upgrades coming?

Red Bull are desperately searching for some good news on the car development front, with their RB20 giving Perez and Verstappen all kinds of problems in recent races.

Now, Marko has revealed when upgrades might come. Speaking to Sky Germany during the Baku weekend, the Austrian said: "Realistically, we have to assume that we will be better starting in Texas. But I mean, the car was better to drive today already.

"Max had problems all weekend in turn 16. Here and there he had turns where it just didn't work out. If he didn’t lose these tenths we would have made the first row.

"With that speed in the race, and if you drive tactically accordingly so that you don't overdo the tyres, he can do that. So I think we will reach a podium there for sure."

His comments came before the 81-year-old also told Sky Germany that Red Bull had given up on winning the constructors' championship, and will instead focus on Verstappen's quest to win the drivers' championship.

The Dutchman is currently 59 points ahead of rival Norris in the battle for the drivers' title.

Red Bull Max Verstappen Ferrari Mercedes McLaren Lando Norris