Helmut Marko admits Red Bull unsure how to fix key issue affecting Max Verstappen

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As the title race tightens heading into Qatar, Red Bull admit they cannot fully explain the champion’s unpredictable weekends.

Max Verstappen arrives at the Qatar Grand Prix with a chance to lead the 2025 championship for the first time all season, sitting just one win away from overtaking Lando Norris. It marks a remarkable turnaround: the Dutchman once trailed Oscar Piastri by 104 points after Zandvoort, and had not been within a race win of top spot since Monaco in May.

Despite strong runs in Las Vegas, Baku, Austin and Monza, Verstappen’s season has been defined by dramatic fluctuations — dominant on one weekend, off the pace the next. And, privately, Red Bull are struggling to understand why.

Marko admits Red Bull lack answers on Verstappen’s inconsistency

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has told Mike Hezemans that even the team cannot fully explain Verstappen’s erratic performance swings.

“We discussed this with Helmut Marko… the answer was essentially that they don’t really know themselves,” Hezemans told RacingNews365. “It’s often hit or miss at the moment.”

Red Bull’s challenge, Marko suggested, stems from how tightly balanced modern F1 machinery has become. A small error on Friday can derail an entire weekend, especially during Sprint rounds where set-up time is limited.

Poor early decisions cost Verstappen heavily in Brazil, where Red Bull shifted him toward Yuki Tsunoda’s experimental Sprint set-up. The result was a disastrous P16 qualifying and a start from the pit lane — only partially salvaged by a charge to P3, showing just how strong the corrected race set-up truly was.

Verstappen needs a perfect start in Qatar as Norris eyes title chance

This weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix includes the final Sprint of 2025, meaning Red Bull must get Verstappen’s set-up right from the very first session. Another misstep could hand Norris the initiative — and even the championship.

The McLaren driver can seal the title in Lusail if he outscores Verstappen by two points across the Sprint and Grand Prix. Verstappen, meanwhile, must avoid another “miss” weekend if he wants the fight to continue to Abu Dhabi.

With margins razor-thin, and Red Bull openly acknowledging their uncertainty, Verstappen’s title bid may hinge on whether the team finally starts a weekend on the right foot.