Marko grins at the current equality among McLaren drivers.

      "This time Norris took the victory while Piastri finished in third place."

      Dr. Helmut Marko acknowledges that his 'plan B' scenario for the Monaco GP unfolded as he anticipated, due to indecision over driver hierarchy at McLaren. The Red Bull advisor mentioned prior to last weekend’s race that if the car’s characteristics proved unsuitable again, he at least hoped Lando Norris would regain his form and outperform his McLaren teammate and championship leader Oscar Piastri. Indeed, Max Verstappen could only secure a P4 position on both the grid and at the finish line, although his points deficit to the leading McLarens remained largely unchanged. "Yes, because this time Norris won and Piastri only came third," Marko, 82, told Osterreich newspaper.

      In contrast to McLaren, which boasts two strong drivers and a policy of driver equality, Verstappen does not have a fellow Red Bull driver to contend with for top points. When asked how long McLaren can allow Norris and Piastri to take points from each other, Marko smiled and replied, "Ask McLaren that."

      The atmosphere at Red Bull is generally positive, as – aside from Monaco – the latest updates have brought Verstappen back to pole and winning form. The four-time world champion left the Monaco paddock on Sunday stating that Barcelona could mirror an Imola-like weekend for Red Bull. "That’s our hope," Marko concurred. "Qualifying is crucial in Barcelona, as overtaking is quite challenging on that track as well. If the tires wear out, there’s still a possibility to overtake on the start-finish straight and on the back straight."

      Another aspect Red Bull is hoping for is that the clampdown on front wing flexibility starting this weekend will impact McLaren the most. "That’s what is being said, anyway," Marko remarked. "I’m intrigued to see if that’s really the case."

      F1 veteran Fernando Alonso was asked on Tuesday about Verstappen’s chances at securing a fifth consecutive world championship, despite the Dutchman currently being 25 points behind Piastri. "It can’t be ruled out because he’s another genius of Formula 1," the Spaniard told El Mundo Deportivo. "We talk about Adrian Newey, who can create exceptional things, and I believe Verstappen possesses that ability as well. He’s demonstrating it this year, so he can never be dismissed from the title race. But yes, this struggle is certainly the toughest he’s faced, and McLaren is likely the favorite," Alonso concluded.

      Meanwhile, Verstappen’s father and co-manager Jos has suggested that Red Bull is currently doing enough to prevent the Dutch driver from invoking a contractual exit clause. "They must be very pleased at Red Bull right now that they have him," he told De Telegraaf. "And I think they realize that too. He is just a very nice young man, but don't upset him – then he can be quite fierce. However, he doesn't feel that way when his team is putting in every effort to win. Right now, I believe he feels that support."