A stronger Red Bull performance at Monza may start to finally put an end to ongoing speculation about Max Verstappen's future with the team.
That's according to Red Bull's F1 consultant, Dr Helmut Marko, who breathed a sigh of relief on Friday as the 2024 car showed better pace at Monza compared to Zandvoort the previous week.
Max Verstappen, who trailed championship contender Lando Norris' McLaren by 22 seconds at the Dutch GP, topped the timing sheets in FP1 on Friday but ended up 14th in the second session.
"We are better than we look," Marko said.
"Max made a mistake in Parabolica, but up until that point, he was just two-tenths off Norris. And unlike the others, Max's engine was not set to full power."
Marko also highlighted that the Dutchman's longer runs were competitive until graining set in, leading to a rapid increase in lap times and causing the car to switch from understeer to oversteer.
"But we are in much better shape than in Zandvoort," the Austrian continued. "Yes, much better."
However, Marko did admit that the new, smoother kerbs at Monza played into Red Bull's hands. "Last year it was a handicap for us, even though we won everything," he commented.
"The high temperatures are also good for us, although I think that as the weekend progresses, the grip will improve, and we may lose some advantage because of that."
"But the balance was much better right from the start, and we could consistently work on the setup. That's what we were aiming for. I believe we've made progress, and the car is more predictable. If we continue to make good progress, then I'm optimistic."
Given Verstappen's dominance last year, which extended into the early part of 2024, the struggles of the past few months have been unexpected for the three-time world champion, with Red Bull also still dealing with internal issues.
However, Max, 26, dismissed the idea that Adrian Newey's departure is to blame for the team's difficulties.
"It can't have happened that quickly," said the Dutchman. "Honestly, it's hard to understand why things got so out of hand."
Verstappen acknowledges that Norris has a tough challenge ahead to close the 70-point gap by Abu Dhabi, but he remains resolute that improvements are required: "Always coming second is not a solution."
"There are also sprint races where we could lose points. If I want to defend the title, I have to win again," he added.
Marko also believes that a stronger Red Bull will calm the situation for both Verstappen and the team.
"At the moment, Max is focused on winning the championship," he said. "But we need to look ahead. We need to give him a car that can win again, and then all these rumours about him leaving will stop."
