Helmut Marko appears at odds with Red Bull decision as awkward situation arises
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko admires two rival drivers on the F1 grid.
Helmut Marko has hinted that Red Bull may have denied themselves a stronger driver line-up by extending Sergio Perez's contract until at least the end of 2025. Marko believes McLaren have the standout duo, with his comments coming just weeks after he admitted that Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were both of interest to Red Bull.
Eyebrows were raised when Red Bull handed Perez a one-year contract extension with the option of a further 12 months if all parties are satisfied. The Mexican has lagged miles behind Max Verstappen in his three full seasons with the team, and he currently sits fifth in the Drivers' Championship, 62 points shy of the three-time title winner.
There is little doubt that Verstappen is the strongest driver in the field, and even less doubt that Marko thinks as much, given that the Austrian is his long-serving mentor.
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Therefore, in claiming that McLaren have the best F1 driver line-up, Marko seemingly feels that Perez is dragging Red Bull down. When asked which team possesses the most talent, the Red Bull advisor told Le Journal de Montreal: "Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at McLaren. They are young and they are hungry. Currently, they get along well and work well together."
Norris has made an individual breakthrough this season, clinching his first Grand Prix win in Miami and notching four podiums to leave himself third in the Drivers' Championship.
Piastri, meanwhile, is back in seventh, but the 23-year-old has held his own so impressively since stepping up to F1, many feel he has the potential to win world titles in the future.
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Marko has made no secret of his admiration for the pair this season. "[Norris'] father always joked that Lando wouldn't celebrate his first Grand Prix victory until Max retires," he told ServusTV.
"I told him that he had to come to us, then it would definitely happen before that. Norris has a contract until at least 2026, so he is not an option in the short term, nor is Oscar Piastri. But both drivers are certainly interesting for us in the future."
While Verstappen proved the class of the field at the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday by battling to victory in wet conditions, Norris and Piastri enhanced their reputations further by taking P2 and P5 respectively.
Perez had a dismal weekend by comparison as he failed to make it out of Saturday's first qualifying session, retired on lap 53 of the Grand Prix after suffering rear-wing damage, and picked up a grid penalty for the upcoming race in Spain following contact with Pierre Gasly.
