Max Verstappen expressed his desire for unity within the Red Bull team amidst recent speculation surrounding Helmut Marko’s position.
Verstappen acknowledged that despite the swirling controversies surrounding Red Bull, their performance on the track remained unaffected over the past weekend.
Demonstrating impressive form, he led his teammate Sergio Perez to secure their second consecutive one-two finish at the beginning of the season during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
The team’s spotlight intensified due to ongoing scrutiny regarding an investigation into alleged misconduct by team principal Christian Horner. Matters escalated further when Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s motorsport consultant, hinted at a potential suspension from the company.
Verstappen reacted vehemently to reports questioning Marko’s future, hinting that his commitment to the team might waver if the 80-year-old were to depart. However, before the race, Marko revealed that following discussions with Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff, his position was no longer in jeopardy.
Following his triumph on Saturday, Verstappen expressed his hope for continued unity within the team, signaling a desire to maintain their collective strength.
“I always said that what is most important is that we work together as a team and that everyone keeps the peace,” he stated. “And that’s what we, I think, all agree on within the team.
“So hopefully from now on that is also fully the case.”
The current world champion continued his dominant streak by securing victory in yet another Grand Prix, extending his impressive nine-race winning streak that commenced last year. Despite the drama surrounding the team, he affirmed that it has not hindered their performance on the track.
“Everyone is trying to focus in the same direction. I think the positive out of all this is that it didn’t hurt our performances.
“It’s a very strong team, also, mentally, what you can see from not only the driver’s side but also mechanics, engineers, everyone is there to do their job. And I think everyone, even when there is stuff going on or whatever, they’re just very focused on their job as they should be.”
