Longtime Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has spoken out about one of the most pivotal decisions in the team’s history: promoting Max Verstappen to Red Bull Racing midway through the 2016 season. young Verstappen paid off spectacularly, Marko admitted the choice could have cost Daniel Ricciardo a championship chance.
The Verstappen bet: a success from the start
Verstappen’s promotion to Red Bull in 2016 was a bold move that immediately paid off. In his very first race with the team, the Spanish Grand Prix, Verstappen took victory, becoming the youngest winner in Formula 1 history. The Dutchman’s meteoric rise overshadowed Ricciardo, who was the team’s main driver since 2014.
Speaking about this bet, Marko said:
“I decided very quickly to completely bet on Verstappen, and things worked out in a certain way. Max won a race straight away in Spain. Maybe if I had relied more on Ricciardo by delaying Verstappen’s arrival at Red Bull, Daniel could have won a title. But I did it differently and I don’t regret it at all.”
The consequences for Ricciardo
Ricciardo had shown immense potential during his early years at Red Bull, notably beating reigning champion Sebastian Vettel in 2014 and solidifying himself as one of the sport’s best drivers. However, Verstappen’s rapid rise shifted the team’s focus, and Ricciardo’s performance began to falter under pressure.
Marko admitted that Ricciardo’s trajectory could have been different if Red Bull had given him more support:
“Daniel was incredibly talented, but the choice fell on Max. It was a gamble, and I lost with Daniel—but I won with Verstappen.”
Verstappen: a driver of a “different class”
-Moving forward to 2024, Verstappen has cemented his place among the greatest in Formula 1 history, recently securing his fourth consecutive championship. Marko praised the Dutchman as being in a league of his own:
“To be honest, I think Max—compared to the current competition and even Vettel himself—is in a different class. He’s just on a completely different level.”
Despite Red Bull’s dip in form in recent seasons, Verstappen’s dominance has remained constant. However, the team’s inability to compete for the Constructors’ Championship has raised concerns about their future competitiveness and Verstappen’s long-term commitment.
Red Bull’s challenge: keeping Verstappen happy
With other top teams reportedly making lucrative offers for Verstappen, Red Bull must resolve its performance issues to keep its star driver engaged. The Dutchman was not shy about expressing his frustration with the team’s struggles, and Marko acknowledged the pressure to improve:
“Milton Keynes must find a speed improvement to keep Verstappen happy. He has options, and if Red Bull does not meet expectations, a change of team is always a possibility.”
Looking back, no regrets
For Marko, the decision to favor Verstappen over Ricciardo remains the right choice. The Dutchman’s unrivaled talent became the cornerstone of Red Bull’s success, even if it came at the expense of Ricciardo’s potential for championship glory.
“Max never looked back after his maiden victory,” concluded Marko. “I’m happy to have lost the bet on Ricciardo and won the bet on Verstappen. He is the future, and he has taken Red Bull to a level that no one else could have reached.”
