Helmut Marko’s latest Max Verstappen admission shows how worried Red Bull are about Lando Norris

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Red Bull couldn’t have hoped for a better outcome and were the clear winners at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Just when all hope of winning the drivers’ championship had gone, for the second time this season, they revitalised their hopes.

Max Verstappen has almost maximised everything beneath him in 2025, and could be set to take one of the unlikeliest title charges in history down to the season finale.

Red Bull simply have to turn up in Qatar to keep their hopes alive, but should have the upper hand over their rivals after their Las Vegas Grand Prix disqualification. They may be forced to be conservative.

Verstappen thinks Red Bull need ‘luck’ to come out on top, and he has just received a big serving of it. Next, he needs some assistance from his rivals to make sure Lando Norris misses the podium a few times.

Norris called Verstappen ‘difficult’ after he won by 20 seconds in Vegas. It was meant to be one of McLaren’s weaker tracks, but with an aggressive setup, they still fell short.

READ MORE: What Red Bull are saying ‘behind the scenes’ about three of Max Verstappen’s engineers leaving

Max Verstappen isn’t worried about Lando Norris after Helmut Marko’s ‘funniest’ admission

Zak Brown has clear admiration for Verstappen and what he has managed to do in an effective two against one fight this season.

His own team may be worried for the future, though. The prospect of Verstappen having a 2026 Red Bull exit clause means that even if he’s off the boil in 2026, he could be off.

Normally, the Dutchman is a serious character, and the intensity of fighting for a title can be very high, but Helmut Marko’s latest comments suggest that he and his team aren’t intimidated by Norris.

“We also stayed out longer than everyone else,” Marko told Sky Sports Germany. “We clearly knew our rivals’ tyre situation, and the funniest thing was the message McLaren sent to Norris: ‘Attack Max and pass him.’

“At that point, Max set a fastest lap and repeated it lap after lap, one after the other. Just to make things clear.

“He did it with great confidence. We had no problems whatsoever. Lando, on the other hand, had some problems at the end, because he started going two seconds slower per lap. Unfortunately, no one behind him took advantage of that.”

READ MORE: Jenson Button fears Red Bull will ‘never’ win constructors’ title again after what he’s seen from Yuki Tsunoda

Should McLaren be prioritising Lando Norris for the rest of the F1 title fight?

The problem with Verstappen is that he will jump on any sense of vulnerability at the first opportunity. In short, McLaren can’t leave the door open. Not even slightly.

All the while they insist on keeping things even between Norris and Oscar Piastri, they’re giving Verstappen that little bit of hope needed.

McLaren can’t give their drivers a new engine, much like Red Bull did a few weekends ago, because it may threaten to put them over the cost cap.

They’ll have to find their gains in other areas, and may be counting their lucky stars that the next race in Qatar serves their car well.