Marko’s ‘in a different car’ joke as ‘game-changer’ appears in Verstappen/Red Bull future

Max Verstappen explains to Christian Horner and Helmut MarkoAlthough Helmut Marko believes Red Bull look “good” for 2026, he concedes a lot is riding on the team getting it right with their first F1 engine, including Max Verstappen’s future.Helmut Marko jokes: He’d be in a different car!The Milton Keynes team will become an engine supplier in Formula 1’s newest V6 era with parameters that include a 50/50 split between electric power and combustion engine while the V6 will run on sustainable fuels.The new engines arrive at the same time as new cars, with Formula 1 introducing smaller, lighter cars that will have active aerodynamics in the form of moveable front and rear wings.For all the teams, a lot is riding on them getting it right in 2026 but, for Red Bull, there’s the added incentive of holding onto their triple World Champion, Max Verstappen.“Everyone knows that contracts of top drivers have exit clauses that are mainly based on performance,” Marko said in an interview with Motorsport-Magazin’s Christian Menath. “For now, based on the information we have, we are good.“But with such a new project, things like the battery and the fuel can really be game-changers, so it’s hard to say where we stand.“You can’t say that Mercedes or Ferrari will be dominant, but within the possibilities we are competitive. As I said, those two factors can be decisive.“And if the team or the driver is not happy with certain things, it is possible that the driver will leave. For example, the decline after 2013 was also caused by the new regulations.”Menath responded to that by telling Marko that if things do not work out in 2026, “we’ll rent a roof terrace opposite your office to see what’s going on in your office” as the Red Bull advisor speaks with Verstappen.Marko quipped back: “That doesn’t necessarily have to be the case, because I don’t think Verstappen will still be in my office then, he’d be in a different car.”