Verstappen and his virtual drive in a Mercedes car: this was Helmut Marko's reaction
Perez says Horner and Marko were honest in their favouritism (Photo: Race Pictures)
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Co-author:Tobia Elia
Nicole MulderManaging Editor
Nicole Mulder is Managing Editor at GPblog and a specialist in Formula 1 and MotoGP. With years of experience and permanent FIA accreditation at Grands Prix worldwide, she delivers reliable coverage and insights based on direct access to drivers and the F1 paddock.
During the Grand Prix weekend at Silverstone, Max Verstappen took part in a sim race — notably behind the wheel of a Mercedes. While the move raised some eyebrows, Helmut Marko insisted there’s no reason to read too much into it. He also addressed the ongoing speculation about a potential switch to Toto Wolff’s team, making his stance perfectly clear.
Speaking to OE24, Marko was asked about Verstappen’s participation in an iRacing event, where he was seen driving a Mercedes F1 car. According to the Austrian, it wasn’t a deliberate choice — it was simply the only Formula 1 model available in the game.
Marko reacts to Verstappen's Mercedes 'outing'
"I didn't catch that. But why shouldn't he do it?", Marko responded. "Max drives an Aston Martin, a Ferrari, and an Audi on public roads. So, it doesn’t matter if he also drives a Mercedes", the 82-year-old Austrian added.
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Verstappen's virtual choice once again fueled the rumor mill about a possible future move to Mercedes. According to Marko, however, there is no truth to this: "He might well be in talks, but there are no current developments.''
The four-time world champion is under contract with Red Bull Racing until the end of 2028, although the deal does include exit clauses.
However, Marko isn’t concerned — at present, there’s no clause that could be triggered: “That's absolutely right", he says when
this question is asked.
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