Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has rubbished a ‘nonsense’ theory about Max Verstappen’s controversial actions during the Spanish Grand Prix. The Dutch driver, irate over two collisions he believed were caused by other racers late in the Barcelona race, seemed to intentionally collide with George Russell.
Thankfully, the incident didn’t result in a crash or significant damage, but it did earn Verstappen a penalty that saw him drop from fifth to tenth place. His behaviour was widely criticised, leading to an additional three penalty points on his licence, leaving him just one point shy of a race ban.
The prevailing view is that Verstappen’s rash act was a result of road rage. However, former Formula 1 driver and Michael Schumacher’s brother, Ralf Schumacher, offered a different perspective while analysing the situation for Sky Germany.
Schumacher referred to a paddock rumour suggesting that if Verstappen doesn’t finish in the top three in the championship, he could retire at the end of this season. Schumacher speculated that Verstappen might be deliberately losing points to keep this option open.
However, Marko dismissed this theory outright. “I don’t know where he said that nonsense,” was his curt response when Schumacher’s comments were put to him by Austrian media outlet OE24.
Marko has conceded that Verstappen could have been more tactful in his approach but is adamant that any supposed release clauses in the Dutch ace’s Red Bull contract are currently a non-issue, dismissing them as mere conjecture.
He also expressed his intention to have a stern chat with Schumacher, clearly irked by the rumours the six-time F1 race winner has been circulating. When asked about confronting the German, Marko stated: “The next time I meet him, I’ll tell him straight away.”
Verstappen’s penalty at the Barcelona race resulted in a meagre one-point haul, while his chief title adversaries reaped maximum rewards; Oscar Piastri clinched his fifth season win and Lando Norris took second place.
Now trailing by 49 points in the championship, Verstappen faces an uphill battle with 15 races left in the 2025 season. His post-race comments were hardly optimistic, as he remarked: “We are way too slow anyway to fight for the title, that was clear again today.
“I’m trying to cheer him up: We’re not giving up, but something has to finally change with the car.”
