Marko predicts: 'Verstappen needs 10 to 12 wins to win title'

Helmut Marko is happy with the final result for Max Verstappen in the French Grand Prix. The Dutchman could not have done much better than his first place at Paul Ricard. Only the extra World Championship point for the fastest lap was lost to Carlos Sainz. The lead over Charles Leclerc is now 63 points. A nice margin, but Red Bull needs to keep the throttle up according to Marko.

"This is not enough," Marko responded to the German newspaper Bild. Next week the last Grand Prix before the summer break is on the programme in Hungary, and again Red Bull wants to be on the top step of the podium with Verstappen. "We want to be at the front again in Budapest. I think you need to win 10, 12 races to have a chance of winning the world title."

Verstappen has won seven of the 12 Grands Prix this season. The 24-year-old also finished first in the sprint races at Imola and Red Bull Ring. Marko reckons Verstappen can clinch the 2022 world title by winning five of the remaining ten GPs.

Fight with Leclerc failed to materialise

Verstappen was trapped behind Leclerc at the start of the French Grand Prix. The Dutchman went for the undercut when Leclerc spun and ended up in the wall. Marko stated to ServusTV that Red Bull suspects Verstappen would have eventually prevailed at Le Castellet even with Leclerc still in the race.