13/06/2024
NEWS STORY
Helmut Marko believes that such is his superiority, Max Verstappen would have won the Canadian Grand Prix even if he hadn't been in the Red Bull.
While the three-time world champion prevailed in the ever changing conditions, there remained a number of 'what ifs', not least the failure to pit Lando Norris immediately after the Safety Car or the needless mistakes by George Russell.
Asked if his driver would have won, even if driving the McLaren or Mercedes, Marko told Austria's OE24: "Yes!
"Only Max has the race overview and the confidence to step on the gas when necessary," he added. "Apart from that, our team adopted absolutely the right strategy."
While Canada proved that McLaren can take the fight to Red Bull on a regular basis, it also finally saw Mercedes enter the frame.
On the other hand, Ferrari, on a roll after Monaco and which was expected to dominate in Montreal, had a nightmare weekend, with neither driver seeing the chequered flag.
Nonetheless, the pendulum swing in recent races suggests that the walkover everyone was expecting from Verstappen and his team is unlikely to happen as McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes ramp up the pressure.
"It won't be a clear-cut story because our car and our simulator have certain weaknesses," said Marko. "But we are working hard to rectify this.
"We've always realised that we won't win every race," he added. "It's good for us that the others can't get any consistency. If everything goes normally for us, Max will be ahead in the race."
Also of concern to the Austrian is the grid penalty handed to Sergio Perez for driving his car in an unsafe condition, after dislodging his rear wing when he hit the barriers.
Not wanting to risk Verstappen's lead with a Safety Car, the team ordered the Mexican to return to the pits rather than abandon his car out on track.
"We're not going to discuss it anymore," said Marko, "we'll get over the three-place demotion.
"At the time, we didn't know how serious the damage was," he added. "We couldn't see it with the camera angle we had available and we wanted Checo to continue, because anything was possible in this race. And you never know how much debris will fly off.
"Others have driven around with more parts hanging off," he insisted. "Lewis Hamilton won once at Silverstone on three wheels," he added, referring to the 2020 British Grand Prix.