Red Bull voices deep fear for Verstappen’s future – In 2021, Max Verstappen was crowned world Formula 1 champion after a season marked by extreme intensity. For Helmut Marko, head of Red Bull’s young driver development programme, the Dutchman probably won’t be able to cope with several years of this type of F1 racing.
From the first to the last race, the 2021 Formula 1 season has kept the public on its toes. Throughout the year, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton were in a fierce battle.
In the end, it was the Dutchman who won the battle after his victory at the last Grand Prix of the season at Abu Dhabi on the 12th of December. However, Helmut Marko, a member of the Red Bull team, was keen to point out the impact that other very intense seasons could have on a driver like Max Verstappen.
“If this is the case every year, then his career will be short.”
In an interview for Autorevue, Helmut Marko spoke about Max Verstappen’s fatigue at the end of last season: “We were all at the limit. […] Max also said that he couldn’t take the intensity anymore.
“He still wants to drive for a while, but if this is the case every year, then his career will be short.”
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I doubt he would stop early, although Marko’s estimation could prove true in some scenarios.
Of course. If it would be like this every year, all drivers careers would be short. Who would consider it fun to race in a toxic snakepit like that FAR world is right now?