Red Bull Insider makes a bold Verstappen prediction comparing Hamilton and Alonso

Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko suggested that Max Verstappen may not have as long a career in Formula 1 as Lewis Hamilton or Fernando Alonso, stating that Verstappen would only continue as long as he enjoyed racing and remain competitive. This came shortly after Verstappen hinted at quitting the sport following his recent dispute with the FIA.

Marko explained that Hamilton, 39, and Alonso, 43, enjoy racing in their 40s, but Verstappen may not stay in the premier class of motorsport for that long. Although his contract with Red Bull runs until 2028, the Dutchman expressed his desire last year to own a GT racing team by 2025 in order to develop racing talent in his circle. He said:

“The ultimate goal is to build our own racing team. We will start in the GT3 class and then see where the ship goes.

“When I do something, I want to do it well. I still want to win.”

Following the Singapore GP jinx controversy, which saw Verstappen given a one-day public service penalty, the Red Bull driver revealed he would consider quitting the sport if such events prevented him from doing so to be yourself. Marko described the punishment as “ridiculous” to the ORF, as Racingnews365 reported:

“The car is not competitive and then they get these penalties because of an F-word in a press conference that was directed at the car. This is ridiculous.”

Additionally, Marko gave an insight into the nature of the three-time world champion, which could decide the length of his F1 tenure. He said:

“Max is not like Alonso or Hamilton. They ride as long as their physical condition allows them to take part.”

“And yes, him [Verstappen] is very interested in winning. But whether he has four, five or six world championships is not a priority for him.

“He wants to have fun and be enthusiastic about his sport. He wants an environment in which he feels comfortable. That’s just how it is.”

Marko went on to say that the fact that he was a “tough driver” often led to people judging Verstappen unfairly. A reference to the events in Austria. He added:

“And that also applies to other moments such as at the Red Bull Ring.” [referring to the clash between Verstappen and Lando Norris].

“He was accused of being much harsher and a bit unfair.

“He only did what was allowed by the regulations. He changed lines and defended them hard. We know he’s a tough driver.”

“It’s something the public wants to see and I think in general we need to go back to the old English racing philosophy – ‘let them race’ and not dictate how we behave.”

“It is clear that one should not behave badly, but not with such narrow-minded interpretations.”