Marko responds to Ecclestone’s theory – Ecclestone’s comments spark debate: A recent interview with former Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has sparked significant discussion within the paddock. Speaking to RTL in early November, the 95-year-old offered a striking assessment of the internal dynamics at McLaren as the World Championship battle draws to a close. Ecclestone suggested that the team may favour Lando Norris over his teammate Oscar Piastri, an idea that quickly circulated among fans and the media.
According to Ecclestone, McLaren would logically lean towards supporting Norris due to his profile and commercial impact.
“McLaren prefers the English driver Norris. He has more star power and marketing appeal, more camera presence and public exposure. That’s why it’s probably better for McLaren,” he argued. The comments have reignited the long-standing debate about whether teams subtly favour a particular driver, particularly when the pressure to win the championship intensifies.
Marko rejects the suggestion of preferential treatment
Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko was asked about Ecclestone’s widely discussed remarks in an interview with oe24.at. As Verstappen remains mathematically in contention for the title, currently sitting third in the standings, questions about potential influences at rival teams inevitably draw interest.
Marko, however, dismissed Ecclestone’s theory outright. “That’s a rumour; it can never be proven,” he said, making it clear that he does not believe McLaren is favouring one driver strategically. Instead, he attributed the recent divergence in performance between Norris and Piastri to simpler, more sporting factors.
“Piastri is suddenly making mistakes, whereas Norris isn’t. That’s all there is to it,” Marko stated, offering a straightforward explanation for the shift in form.
Respect for Norris’s Recent Strength
Although Marko has sometimes been critical of Norris in the past, he now acknowledges the Briton’s recent consistency and strong performances. Norris’s ability to handle pressure, particularly in qualifying, has impressed the experienced Austrian.
“That’s amazing. Norris stayed cool in qualifying in Brazil, even after a botched first run, and then came back strong,” Marko said.
He added that the 24-year-old has undergone a “huge mental transformation”, enabling him to perform with greater maturity and composure at a pivotal moment in the season. With Norris currently leading the standings, Marko believes he has become a formidable obstacle in Verstappen’s pursuit of another title. “He’ll be very difficult for Max to catch now,” he admitted.
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Verstappen’s Title Challenge: A Difficult Path
With one sprint race and three Grands Prix remaining, Verstappen is 49 points behind the championship leader. For the four-time world champion, closing that gap based on performance alone is unlikely. Marko assessed the situation with his usual candour: “He won’t be able to catch up on his own anymore. He’d need Norris or both McLarens to retire.”
The Austrian explained that, although Red Bull has made progress in recent races, the team still lacks the pace to overturn such a deficit without external circumstances falling into place. Mechanical failures or on-track incidents affecting the McLarens would be necessary for Verstappen to reduce the gap significantly.
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Red Bull’s Perspective on Falling Short
Despite the long odds, Marko remained pragmatic about the championship fight. If Verstappen ultimately misses out on the title, the Red Bull advisor insists that this will not be disappointing, given the team’s earlier struggles. “We were nowhere near the top and managed to come back,” he reflected. “It’s already a sensation that we’re competitive again. Whether the World Championship title would then have been possible is another matter.”
Marko’s comments highlight a key theme of Red Bull’s 2025 season: recovery. After a difficult start, the team managed to re-establish itself at the forefront of the competition. While the title may remain out of reach, the resurgence itself is viewed internally as a major achievement.
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NEXT ARTICLE – Leclerc repeatedly contacted by another F1 team
The huge fanfare surrounding the arrival of Lewis Hamilton in Maranello was amplified by the fact that Ferrari had the quickest car come the end of 2024. Across the final six race weekends they closed a 74 point gap to the championship leaders, to fall short of the constructors’ title in Abu Dhabi by just 14 points.
Yet 2025 has been a year of misery for the Scuderia and had Mercedes and Red Bull had a second driver contributing anything like the results of their team leader’s Ferrari would now be a distant fourth in this years title race.
Lewis Hamilton has set the record for a Ferrari driver failing to score a podium since arriving with the team and the likelihood he will go all year without making the Sunday presentation remains high.
Leclerc lightning in qualifying
Charles Leclerc, in his seventh year with the Red team has seven podiums from 21 outings, his latest being at the Mexican Grand Prix dominated by Lando Norris. He will complete his 150th start for Ferrari at the season finale in Abu Dhabi, only Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen have racked up more in the team’s 75 year history.
Raikkonen is also the last Ferrari driver to have won the F1 championship, having come from nowhere to pip lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso at the last race in 2007. The Scuderia are experiencing their longest ever drought in winning the constructors’ championship, this year makes the number eighteen years.
The Monegasque driver is regarded amongst the best on the grid, particularly in terms of qualifying. His pole position ratio to F1 race starts sees him just outside the top ten of all time with 27 from 147 entries. Yet with just eight Grand Prix victories to his name, thistles a tale of the Ferrari race cars he has been given.
The recent outburst of the Ferrari group chairman, John Elkann, who called his F1 drivers to “talk less” and “focus more on racing” has been interpreted by many as a not so subtle direction for Charles Leclerc. Whilst Hamilton has admitted his struggles are due to adapting to a new team, Leclerc has been vocal about Ferrari being “not good enough”. His most recent attack on the team was in the media day in Brazil…READ MORE
Alex Stanton is a Formula 1 journalist at TJ13 with a focus on the financial and commercial dynamics that underpin the sport. Alex contributes reporting and analysis on team ownership structures, sponsorship trends, and the evolving business model of Formula 1.
At TJ13, Alex covers topics including manufacturer investment, cost cap implications, and the strategic direction of teams navigating an increasingly complex financial environment. Alex’s work often examines how commercial decisions translate into on-track performance and long-term competitiveness.
With a strong interest in the intersection of sport and business, Alex provides context around Formula 1’s global growth, including media rights, expansion markets, and manufacturer influence.
Alex’s reporting aims to explain the financial realities behind headline stories, helping readers understand how money, governance, and strategy shape the competitive order in Formula 1.
