Marko: "That's another of Verstappen's secrets"

Max Verstappen was sent off on softs by Red Bull Racing at the start of the Italian Grand Prix. The reigning world champion managed to last no less than 24 laps on the softest rubber, a very long time. Helmut Marko is impressed and knows that in one or two Grands Prix the world title can finally be celebrated.

Speaking to Austrian television ORF , Marko says:"That's another of Max's secrets; he's extremely fast when he's driving in clean air. If the engineer says he needs a certain temperature in the tyre, he does it, but the pace does not suffer", the Austrian racing driver's advisor said. Tyre management is something Verstappen has again mastered with the RB18.

Verstappen nears World Championship title

With six Grands Prix and a sprint race to go, Verstappen could win the world title at the next GP in just under three weeks' time. He will not have it in his own hands, as he is dependent on the lesser results of Charles Leclerc and George Russell and Sergio Perez. Marko then expects to uncork the champagne in Japan.

"Singapore would be a nice place to celebrate. Better than Suzuka, that's for sure. But I don't think it's going to happen [then]," Marko told OE24.at. The Singapore Grand Prix is scheduled for 2 October, with the Japanese circuit a week later. There too, a world championship will be greeted with loud cheers from the stands, as Honda is still allied with Red Bull.