The two F1 stars who could only get ‘near’ to Max Verstappen at Red Bull

In an era dominated by Max Verstappen, Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko believes only a select few drivers could come close to matching his pace. According to Marko, Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris are the only two who could “be near” Verstappen when driving in equal machinery. However, Marko emphasized that even these talented drivers would only be able to stay “near” Verstappen, not surpass him.

Max Verstappen’s Dominance at Red Bull

Verstappen’s near-unstoppable performances in recent Formula 1 seasons have cemented his reputation as the sport’s top driver. With several Formula 1 championships under his belt, Verstappen has set an incredibly high bar for any teammate. Sergio Perez, who was his partner for four seasons, struggled to match Verstappen’s consistency and pace, despite delivering strong performances at times. The Red Bull Racing team has made a bold decision to replace Perez at the end of the 2024 season, opting for Liam Lawson, who has impressed during his stint at VCARB.

Marko on What it Takes to Compete with Verstappen

Helmut Marko has been outspoken in his assessments of Max Verstappen’s teammates, stating that the key to success in this partnership lies in the understanding that Verstappen is the fastest driver in Formula 1 right now. Marko explained that any teammate must have a certain level of self-confidence and the humility to accept that beating Verstappen is an extraordinarily difficult task.

In a previous interview on the Inside Line F1 podcast, Marko commented, “I don’t think it’s nice to be team-mate to Max nowadays. I honestly believe there are not many drivers, maybe a Lewis Hamilton or maybe a Lando Norris could be near to him, but only near to him.” This statement highlights the challenge Verstappen poses to his competitors and the high bar they must clear to even be competitive within the same team.

The Role of Self-Confidence in Verstappen’s Teammates

Marko went on to explain that being Verstappen’s teammate requires a specific mindset. According to him, it’s crucial for the second driver to acknowledge Verstappen’s current dominance in the sport and simply do their best within the team’s framework. Marko cited Perez’s performance at the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort as an example of a driver doing exactly that. Although Perez never outperformed Verstappen, he stayed reasonably close and maximized the potential of both himself and the car, which was all Red Bull expected from him.

“The driver next to Max has to have a lot of self-confidence,” Marko elaborated. “He has to admit that he’s driving with the fastest driver in Formula 1 at the moment, and to beat him is very, very difficult.”

This perspective shows how Red Bull evaluates its second driver. Marko’s expectations of any driver partnering Verstappen are grounded in the reality that they will likely never surpass his pace, but the team still needs them to contribute effectively and stay competitive, ensuring they don’t fall too far behind.

Conclusion: Verstappen’s Future Teammates at Red Bull

Looking ahead to 2025, with Liam Lawson stepping into the Red Bull seat, all eyes will be on how the young driver adapts to competing alongside Verstappen. Despite his potential, Lawson will face the same challenges that Perez and others before him experienced: performing in Verstappen’s shadow. For now, only the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris are viewed as capable of challenging Verstappen’s dominance at Red Bull Racing, but even then, Marko believes they could only manage to stay “near” him in equal conditions.

The era of Max Verstappen’s dominance at Red Bull Racing is far from over, and his future teammates will need more than just skill—they’ll need an incredible level of resilience and self-awareness to cope with his remarkable pace.