Marko: 'Having Verstappen as a teammate is not good for your career'

Max Verstappen has been with Red Bull Racing since 2016. In all those years, only Daniel Ricciardo has managed to beat the Dutchman, although eventually the Australian could not match Verstappen's speed either. According to Helmut Marko, having the two-time world champion as a teammate is not good for the career of Formula 1 drivers.

Verstappen is the clear leader within Red Bull's team. In recent years, the Dutchman has seen his teammates come and go. Ricciardo was replaced by Pierre Gasly, but the Frenchman delivered poor results and had to make room for Alexander Albon after half a season. The Thai driver lasted longer than his predecessor, but he too was eventually replaced by Sergio Perez.

The Mexican has since become an important part of the team. In Abu Dhabi last year, Verstappen managed to win his first title, partly thanks to his teammate. Indeed, Perez held off Lewis Hamilton for multiple laps. Yet it is now clear that Perez too is not as fast as Verstappen.

"Having Max as a teammate is not good for your career. Max is very special. He was trained in a hard way by his father, but successfully", Marko says in conversation with Car and Driver.

'You can't beat Verstappen'

According to the Red Bull advisor, Verstappen's teammates are trying different things in an attempt to beat him. "They can't, so they are trying to change the setup of the car or adjust their driving style. Of course you cannot accept that you are not as good as him." Marko therefore stresses that at some point the second drivers have to recognise that Verstappen is unbeatable. "My job is to make them understand that. Is that cruel? I don't think so."