Two-time world champion Max Verstappen managed to take victory number 37 at the Australian Grand Prix last Sunday. It was the first victory for Red Bull Racing since 2011 and Helmut Marko saw confirmation that Verstappen’s mega contract is more than justified.
The third round of the world championship was an eventful edition. Verstappen started the race in pole position, but saw George Russell pass in the first corner. Moments later it was Lewis Hamilton who asserted himself and that spot also saw the title holder lost. However, he was able to put things in order a few laps later and despite the several interruptions and a blocking tire in turn thirteen, Verstappen fared relatively easily on his way to victory. Marco was there Formule1.nl also full of confidence: “If he’s in the lead, you know it’s going to be okay.”
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‘Very important for the team’
In 2023 Verstappen will be hunting for his third world title and he has now equaled Ayrton Senna with his eighty podium places. The 25-year-old driver has a contract worth $ 55 million and according to Marko, the Dutchman is well worth it: “That was one of the best decisions we made to sign such a long contract with him That stability is very important for the team and Max now also has certainty.” The two-time champion’s contract runs until the end of 2028, making it the longest deal a driver has signed in the sport’s history.
‘We are used to that from him’
Verstappen will drive calculatedly in 2023 and especially with the championship in mind and Marko praises that attitude. “Max controlled the race and made no mistakes. But we are used to that from him. When he is in the lead, you know it will be fine,” he says. In the past, the Dutchman defended every position tooth and nail, but now he thinks about the long term. “He did extremely well. In the beginning he was a bit reserved, not too aggressive. He kept some distance and struck at the right time,” said Marko about the early stages of the race in Melbourne.
