Red Bull Formula 1 advisor Helmut Marko believes the squad’s turnaround at the Italian Grand Prix has unlocked the potential to succeed at its other weaker circuits on the 2025 calendar.
Max Verstappen comfortably defeated the usually dominant McLarens in Monza one year on from one of Red Bull’s worst race weekend performances at the same venue, offering hope that the team has finally found a set-up breakthrough as it changed its philosophy to make the RB21 more compliant.
Under incoming team principal Laurent Mekies, Red Bull has placed a bigger emphasis on driver input after having been led astray by its simulation tools to cure the 2025 car’s balance issues, with Verstappen’s insistence on running a lower downforce set-up in Monza a prime example.
Verstappen’s third win of the 2025 season is considered the most pivotal for Red Bull because overcoming its Monza weaknesses has now opened up possibilities for the remainder of the year, according to team advisor Helmut Marko.
It is expected to be in the mix again this weekend in Baku, but the next major litmus test will be the following round in Singapore, another circuit Red Bull has struggled at due to its poor characteristics on slower, bumpy circuits where kerb riding is important.
“For Baku, the fast circuits, I’m very optimistic. I am hopeful for Singapore, the only race we didn’t win so far,” Marko told Motorsport.com. “Normally on slow circuits [we struggle], but I believe now everything is possible in this period.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Zak Mauger / LAT Images via Getty Images
Speaking to ServusTV, the Austrian added: “I believe that with the speed we’ve shown, we should hopefully be able to compete on our own merit at almost every circuit. Singapore would be special — it’s the only race we’ve never won. But maybe it’ll work out there too.
“We’re still fine-tuning and refining things. If we can keep improving like this, that would be fantastic. The championship is gone, but a few more wins would be very nice.”
Red Bull has still been drip feeding minor upgrades from the factory, including a revised floor in Monza that Verstappen utilised and that team-mate Yuki Tsunoda is expected to receive in Azerbaijan. But while Marko said Red Bull is close to running out of upgrades to put on the car as development focus has shifted to 2026, he says the change in engineering approach under Mekies has delivered the biggest improvements, saying it “feels like a rebirth”.
“The difference is that the preparation is a different one,” he explained. “Laurent is an excellent engineer, so it’s more about: Take whatever the simulation is showing you, but mix it with the experience like Max has or the experience our engineers have. Make a car which is predictable and driveable.
“Basically it’s the same [car]. Some updates were coming and they were working, but 20 seconds on McLaren, I wouldn’t have predicted that.
“This feels like a rebirth for us — we’re all overjoyed. The atmosphere is fantastic, and the Red Bull spirit is back.”
Additional reporting by Ronald Vording
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