Speaking on Beyond the Grid, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko opened up on Max Verstappen, his greatness and ability behind a F1 car.
Max Verstappen one of the greatest in F1 history says Helmut Marko
Asked to rate how good the four-time F1 World Champion is, the former Austrian driver declared him as one of the greatest.
“It’s difficult to say [who is the greatest].
“Different periods, different cars, but he’s definitely one of the greatest.”
Marko went on to explain why he thinks Verstappen is so special behind the wheel of a Red Bull F1 car. He has won 68 races overall since victory on debut for the Milton Keynes squad at the 2016 Spanish GP.
In 2021, Max Verstappen had a thrilling and controversial title battle with Lewis Hamilton. Interestingly, Marko says the Brit was stronger in the area of tyre management during that year when discussing where the 28-year-old is improving. The 2021 Spanish GP was a good example of it.
“He’s improving.
“He’s completely focused and now he’s 10 years with us. Nowadays, he doesn’t make any mistakes.
“Lap by lap, he’s within one tenth. If they tell him the tyre, let’s say the left one is overheating, okay, within two laps, he does the same lap time, but the tyre temperature goes down.
“He also learns his feeling for the tyres, which was, I would say, in 2021 a handicap, because in this area, Hamilton was a bit better than him.”
The win at all costs mentality has been left behind
During his early days at Red Bull, particularly in 2016 and 2018, Max Verstappen resorted to desperation at times to try and win or make up places when a calm head was required, such as Spa 2016 at turn 1.
In fact his exuberance cost him in practice on occasion, too. Monaco 2018 was a prime example of that. A crash in FP3 meant he sat out qualifying on a weekend where he could have won.
Alongside more maturity, Marko says Verstappen has improved his technical feedback and become a great leader for the Red Bull F1 squad.
“He’s very mature, still only 28, but very mature.
“He lost all his winning under all circumstances. It comes now more easy.It comes relaxed.
“He’s far better in his technical feedback and he developed to a real personality and team leader.”
Helmut Marko: Max Verstappen a better F1 driver in 2025 compared to 2023
Although the four-time World Champion won 19 out of a possible 22 Grands Prix two years ago, with a pair of P2s and a P5 his other results in an astonishing season, Marko believes Verstappen is operating at an even higher level in 2025.
While the Dutchman is an outsider for the title, he has seriously impressed. In a car that has been slower than the McLaren almost all year, he has won five races. Alongside that, the 47-time polesitter has taken pole position seven times in 2025.
A heroic drive from the pit lane to P3 at the São Paulo GP last time out was arguably the performance of the season. Heading into the Las Vegas GP this weekend, Verstappen trails Lando Norris by 49 points. There is a maximum of 83 to be grabbed.
“Definitely better.
“First of all, we didn’t have a car which was always in a position to win, but he’s more calm.
“And as I said, he delivers in qualifying. We had been on difficult circuits with the tyres, you know, it’s also difficult to get the right warm-up to bring them in the right window.
“But with him, when it comes to Q3, he delivers.”
