Marko on benchmark Verstappen: 'Lewis or Lando might come close'

After a strong start to the Formula 1 season, Sergio Perez's performance is once again under a magnifying glass. The Red Bull Racing car may be harder to drive, but Max Verstappen still manages to pull off podium finishes, unlike his teammate. However, Helmut Marko stresses that Verstappen's bar is also very high. So high, in fact, that only drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris could "maybe" come close, according to the advisor.

Perez has faced criticism since the drop in performance. At McLaren, for example, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri both manage to perform, but then the Woking-based team currently has an excellent F1 car. Marko therefore thinks that comparison is not entirely appropriate.

"First of all, I don't think being a teammate of Max is fun these days. I honestly don't think there are many drivers who can come close to him. Maybe a Hamilton or Lando could come close, but no more than that either. For one thing, a driver besides Max has to have a lot of self-confidence. And he has to admit that he is currently driving alongside the fastest driver in Formula 1. And beating him is very, very difficult," Marko concludes in the Inside Line F1 Podcast.

"So just do your best and see where you can finish. And it has to be said: Sergio lasted quite long, longer than all the other drivers who drove alongside Max. And at Zandvoort he proved that he did what was maximum for him - and for the car. We expect him to be reasonably close to Max, not to beat him in the race," said the Red Bull advisor.