Marko: 'Conversations are unavoidable' as discussions about Verstappen's future progress.

      "For him, competitiveness is always the top priority."

      Dr. Helmut Marko will not be attending Red Bull's home Formula 1 race this weekend, contrary to previous expectations, as he reportedly seeks to avoid an awkward encounter with the team's current leadership. According to Germany's Bild newspaper, the 83-year-old, who stepped down as Red Bull’s long-standing motorsport adviser at the end of last year, has opted to skip the Austrian GP to "prevent confrontation" with senior executives who are rumored to have pushed him out.

      The report also states that key decision-makers at Red Bull are convening at the Red Bull Ring not only for the home race but also for new discussions aimed at persuading Max Verstappen to commit to a long-term future with the team. This follows speculation that Red Bull intends to buy out the exit clause in Verstappen’s contract.

      Marko acknowledged that discussions are unavoidable. "For him, competitiveness is always the top priority," he told Kleine Zeitung. "All elite drivers have performance-related clauses in their contracts. In this regard, discussions will likely occur at this time. It would be best if they could reach an agreement again soon."

      Verstappen had anticipated seeing his former mentor in Spielberg. "I thought he would be here, but now I’ve heard that he won’t be," the Dutch driver remarked. "You go through so much together. It definitely feels a bit different that he’s not here now, but on the other hand, I still have a lot of communication with him and we talk often. I mainly reflect on the wonderful times we had together and what we accomplished, rather than dwelling on his absence. They are simply great memories and it was a fantastic time. It doesn’t feel too strange, as we still call each other regularly. We discuss various topics in life, not just racing anymore."

      The timing is notable, as Red Bull is unveiling its most significant upgrade package of the season while trying to close the performance gap to Mercedes and Ferrari. "It’s critical for us as a team," Verstappen stated. "The earlier upgrade has been positive, but of course, those are the easier steps. When you’re far behind... the toughest step is always the last one, the one that truly allows you to compete for victories."

      When asked how long he is willing to wait for Red Bull to regain its leading position, especially with speculation regarding a potential seat swap with Oscar Piastri at McLaren, Verstappen responded: "We’ll see, right? It’s tough to answer that right now. We don’t like being the fourth-best team, so we want to make improvements. That’s what we’re focusing on at the moment."

      Auto Motor und Sport suggested that Verstappen might have preferred to spend the weekend following his GT3 team’s bid for victory at the Spa 24 Hours rather than participating in Formula 1 under the current regulations. "I want to watch as much of the race as possible," Verstappen acknowledged. "Of course, I’d also like to compete. I’ve mentioned before that there shouldn’t be any overlap next year."

      Meanwhile, with temperatures rising in Austria, the FIA has implemented its heat protocol, permitting drivers to use the controversial cooling vest. Verstappen, however, will not be using one. "It’s hot, so what?" he asserted. "These cars aren’t very physically demanding. I’ll wear a cooling vest before the race, and that should suffice. I’ve raced in the heat before, and it was warm here in Austria last year as well."