Dr. Helmut Marko has scoffed at the idea of pairing Max Verstappen with a possibly-returning Sebastian Vettel at Red Bull.
At the moment, four-time world champion Vettel, who recently retired, hasn’t shown any signs of wanting to come back to Formula 1, though he hasn’t completely dismissed the possibility either.
Despite Red Bull’s concerns about Sergio Perez’s performance when compared to the exceedingly dominant Verstappen, Marko has rejected the notion of a Verstappen-Vettel duo.
“I wouldn’t put him next to Verstappen,” Marko grinned during an interview with Servus TV. “We have contracts at Red Bull through the end of 2024, but if Sebastian wants something, he should go for it.
“Motorsport isn’t just about internal combustion engines and fuel; if he has a plan, why not?”
However, Marko mentioned that Red Bull “already has Daniel Ricciardo” on standby for a future opportunity.
“If Sebastian really wants to return, he would want to be with a leading team and aim to win,” he added.
In spite of the speculation about Perez, Marko stated that the Mexican driver is “locked up” in a contract until 2024.
Regarding Monza, Marko described it as “definitely one of Checo’s better weekends.” “We know he struggles in qualifying sessions. He has periods of inconsistency. He’s South American, after all,” said Marko with a smile.
“He might not be as mentally sharp as Max or Sebastian, but he often performs well in races, and his race at Monza was certainly good. He had to pass three drivers and did everything right. He also won in Singapore last year, so we’re optimistic.”
