Red Bull chief names two F1 stars ready to challenge runaway leader Verstappen

01 August 2023 , 18:08

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Helmut Marko has been singing Max Verstappen's praises (Image: Getty Images)

Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso are the only Formula 1 drivers capable of giving Max Verstappen a real fight.

That's the view of Helmut Marko, Red Bull's long-serving team adviser. But the Austrian's caveat was that neither of them will be able to test that theory any time soon.

Verstappen is already a double F1 champion at the age of 25. And only an extraordinary turn of events will stop him from securing three consecutive titles this year.

The gap between the Dutchman and his team-mate Sergio Perez already stands at 125 points and looks likely to only continue to increase in size. Verstappen is one an eight-race winning streak, now just one off the all-time record held by former Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel.

After a strong start to the year, Perez's challenge has collapsed. At last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, the disparity between them was illustrated by Verstappen finishing more than 22 seconds clear of the other Red Bull, having started four places behind on the grid.

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Defending Perez after that result, Marko pointed out that there are probably only two drivers on the grid who might be able to hold a candle to Verstappen in equal machinery. "Being second to Max is like a win," said the 80-year-old.

"There won't be any other driver who could stay with him on one level. Maybe Alonso and Hamilton would be nearer, but nobody could beat him at the moment.

"I know how good Max is – that has to be considered. He's nursing the tyres and he's still going fast. He can read the race and he's so far ahead [with] what he's doing he's already past. It's unbelievable capacity in his head."

In a separate interview, Marko repeated his belief that Alonso and Hamilton may be able to challenge Verstappen. But he made it clear that they would only be able to do so if they had a car which could match or better the performance of the RB19s.

"In the same car it would be very difficult," he told DAZN. "Second place, behind Max is like a victory. He had a good qualifying, a good Sprint race, and had a controlled race with good speed... Max Verstappen wins easily no matter what. The whole team, every stop works, no mistakes are made, the whole team is fast and they are doing an incredible job."

Daniel Moxon