Marko: Imola victory 'crucial' for Verstappen's future

      "Let’s just ensure we clinch the world championship."

      Imola was a significant result for Red Bull for various reasons, as team advisor Dr. Helmut Marko acknowledges. After McLaren demonstrated its dominance in the first seven races of 2025, a significant car upgrade for Red Bull propelled Max Verstappen back into pole position and winning form.

      “For the first time in a long while, Max didn’t express concerns about the handling,” Marko noted. “We were going around in circles for a year, but at Imola, the car finally performed exceptionally well again. It was vital for Max to see that everyone was putting in effort and working in harmony.”

      “Strategy, setup, handling—everything was excellent. We were superior to McLaren.”

      Why was this breakthrough so "important" for Verstappen? According to common knowledge in the F1 paddock, it's due to exit clauses in his contract—reportedly approaching during the summer break—that could enable him to consider lucrative offers from rival teams before his contract's expiration in 2028. Thus, Imola may have been a crucial step in persuading the four-time world champion to remain with Red Bull.

      “Now let’s just ensure we win the world championship,” Marko said to Osterreich when asked about the circulating rumors concerning Verstappen, “and then we will see what unfolds.”

      One interpretation suggests that if Verstappen secures a fifth consecutive drivers’ title, the exit clause would become irrelevant. Marko refutes this: “It’s not aimed at the world championship,” insists the 82-year-old Austrian.

      However, another sign of stability and progress for Verstappen is that pre-Imola speculations about it being the 400th and final race for team boss Christian Horner turned out to be untrue. “I don’t know who initiated that nonsense,” Marko remarked, “but everything has changed now.”

      He does, however, acknowledge that McLaren may return to top form this weekend at Monaco. “Things could appear entirely different there,” Marko admitted. “It’s a completely different track with only slow corners. We could fare much worse there.”

      Verstappen has previously won twice at Monaco, and this year's race could be the most significant of his career. “From a driver's perspective, it often comes down to qualifying—the one fast lap,” Marko stated. “The race is typically a farce. Last year, (Charles) Leclerc and (Carlos) Sainz were sometimes slower than in Formula 3. In my day - when I competed in F3, Formula Vee, and Formula 1 there - it was truly different.

      "It was a genuine challenge, with no barriers—nothing."