Helmut Marko: Norris's time surprised me

Helmut Marko: Norris's time surprised me

      Lando Norris topped the timesheets in the second free practice session in Las Vegas. Norris’s advantage over Max Verstappen was half a second, and such a speed difference raised questions for Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko.

      “For starters, we need to analyze who was revving the engine harder and how much fuel was in the tanks,” Helmut Marko said after the second practice. “Oscar Piastri turned out to be much slower than Norris. I think only tomorrow will we see the true pecking order. Norris’s time surprised me. But, as I already said, we need to analyze everything to understand what engine settings were used and how much fuel everyone had in their tanks.”

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"People's interpretations are out of my control, and I'm not interested in wasting my time on them," he stated. "John reaches out to me after every Grand Prix, and we discussed various topics, including what he intended to convey. His aim was to be constructive and motivate the team to enhance performance." 

Leclerc emphasized that the comments were not directed specifically at him. "The criticism wasn’t about the incidents in Brazil. It was more broad," he explained. "John expresses his thoughts openly. He has always been transparent with me, regardless of the circumstances. We both share a deep passion for Ferrari. His objective is to help us all perform at our best. I align with him on that."

"John’s intentions were positive. He sought to energize everyone," Leclerc added. The 2025 season has seen him as Ferrari's standout performer, while speculation persists that Aston Martin, which is preparing a Newey-designed, Honda-powered vehicle, has reached out to his manager, Nicolas Todt, about future possibilities.

When asked if Elkann’s tone bothered him, Leclerc again minimized the situation. "The best course of action is for me to focus on the track and give it my all. I’ve always done that and will keep doing so." 

Lewis Hamilton, whose arrival at Ferrari has drawn increased scrutiny due to underperformance, reacted defensively to Elkann's comments. "I know what John is planning, which is why I didn’t focus on the remark," Hamilton said. "We communicate several times a week. It's about uniting the team."

However, he reacted strongly to the suggestion that he should "talk less." "I can't devote any more focus to my job than I already do," he responded. "I think about my work as I fall asleep and when I wake up—sometimes it's even in my dreams. Since joining Ferrari, I've spent more time at the factory than at any of my prior teams." Hamilton added, "I have a good relationship with John. We communicate regularly." Charles Leclerc has sought to alleviate concerns regarding his future with Ferrari, following team president John Elkann's recent comments urging the team to "talk less," which ignited considerable media speculation and rekindled rumors linking the Monegasque driver to Aston Martin for 2027. During a conversation in Las Vegas, Leclerc dismissed the surrounding drama, asserting that Elkann's remarks had been misinterpreted. "People's interpretations are out of my control, and I'm not interested in wasting my time on them," he stated. "John reaches out to me after every Grand Prix, and we discussed various topics, including what he intended to convey. His aim was to be constructive and motivate the team to enhance performance." Leclerc emphasized that the comments were not directed specifically at him. "The criticism wasn’t about the incidents in Brazil. It was more broad," he explained. "John expresses his thoughts openly. He has always been transparent with me, regardless of the circumstances. We both share a deep passion for Ferrari. His objective is to help us all perform at our best. I align with him on that." "John’s intentions were positive. He sought to energize everyone," Leclerc added. The 2025 season has seen him as Ferrari's standout performer, while speculation persists that Aston Martin, which is preparing a Newey-designed, Honda-powered vehicle, has reached out to his manager, Nicolas Todt, about future possibilities. When asked if Elkann’s tone bothered him, Leclerc again minimized the situation. "The best course of action is for me to focus on the track and give it my all. I’ve always done that and will keep doing so." Lewis Hamilton, whose arrival at Ferrari has drawn increased scrutiny due to underperformance, reacted defensively to Elkann's comments. "I know what John is planning, which is why I didn’t focus on the remark," Hamilton said. "We communicate several times a week. It's about uniting the team." However, he reacted strongly to the suggestion that he should "talk less." "I can't devote any more focus to my job than I already do," he responded. "I think about my work as I fall asleep and when I wake up—sometimes it's even in my dreams. Since joining Ferrari, I've spent more time at the factory than at any of my prior teams." Hamilton added, "I have a good relationship with John. We communicate regularly." Formula 1 | Max Verstappen has stated that he is open to the idea of changing his race number for 2026, now that the FIA has officially permitted mid-career alterations - but he acknowledges that his (…) Isola: The condition of the track was rapidly improving. Isola: The condition of the track was rapidly improving. Pirelli are satisfied with the performance of the tyres in Las Vegas. After the session was moved two hours earlier, it wasn't as cold, and the condition of the asphalt quickly improved… The FIA explained the situation with the hatch during the second practice. The FIA explained the situation with the hatch during the second practice. The second free practice session of the Las Vegas Grand Prix was twice interrupted by red flags because of a manhole cover in front of Turn 17. The FIA issued a statement explaining the situation. Photo gallery: 21/11. Las Vegas Grand Prix, Friday

Helmut Marko: Norris's time surprised me

Lando Norris topped the times in the second free practice session in Las Vegas. Norris’s advantage over Max Verstappen was half a second, and such a speed difference raised questions for Red Bull’s motorsport advisor Helmut Marko.