‘Never do that again’… Max Verstappen names the iconic overtake that left Helmut Marko fuming

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Max Verstappen has rarely had to utilise his wheel-to-wheel skills in recent years. Red Bull have been so dominant since the mid-point of 2022 that he’s often been able to cruise off into the distance.

Verstappen won 15 out of 22 races in the first year of F1’s ground effect era, and a record-breaking 19 out of 22 last season. Often, the only cars that were ahead of him were shown blue flags.

But his margin is no more. McLaren are arguably the best team in F1 right now, with the in-form Mercedes ready to capitalise on any Red Bull mishaps too.

This has led to Verstappen battling his rivals once again. At times, he’s guilty of straying beyond the limit, with Austria the most notable example this season.

Alain Prost likened Verstappen to Ayrton Senna after that incident with Lando Norris given his unapologetic ruthlessness. But the Dutchman has also put together a highlight reel of memorable manoeuvres.

Indeed, Verstappen won his first-ever world championship in 2021 with a dramatic last-lap lunge on Lewis Hamilton at Abu Dhabi’s turn-five hairpin. The brilliance of that move has of course been overshadowed by the controversy around the event.

Max Verstappen recalls 2015 Spa move on Felipe Nasr

Verstappen became the youngest driver in F1 history when he joined Toro Rosso for the 2015 season. It was an impressive campaign as he scored 49 points, nearly three times what teammate Carlos Sainz managed (18).

Verstappen claimed a couple of fourth-place finishes that year in Hungary and the United States, but he perhaps truly announced himself at the Belgian Grand Prix. En route to a solid eighth place, he pulled off an extraordinary move around the outside of Sauber’s Felipe Nasr through Blanchimont, one of the fastest corners on the F1 calendar.

Speaking on his Viaplay documentary ‘Max Verstappen: Off the Beaten Track’, he admitted that the move was so risky that he likely wouldn’t try it again. He understands why Helmut Marko was aghast.

“We tried it on the sim,” he said. “When I went for the move in real life, the car was moving around more. Helmut told me, ‘never do that again’. I was like, ‘I passed him’. Now I understand why. I was 17 still, and I was like, ‘I go for it’. Probably I wouldn’t do it now.”

How Helmut Marko caused Max Verstappen’s Mercedes move to ‘fall through’

Verstappen and Marko have built a close relationship since he joined the F1 grid with the Austrian’s backing. That’s why the power struggles at Red Bull this season have been especially significant.

Christian Horner saw Marko as an opponent and considered forcing him out. Had he done so, it would have activated an exit clause in Verstappen’s Red Bull exit.

In the end, they repaired their relationship and Marko signed a new deal. As such, Verstappen’s prospective move to Mercedes fell through.

Verstappen has another exit clause that becomes active ahead of the 2026 regulation changes. But his camp are currently expressing their confidence in Red Bull’s prospects.