What Helmut Marko said ‘off the record’ after McLaren disqualification at the Las Vegas Grand Prix

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Max Verstappen and Red Bull were handed a major lifeline in the 2025 title battle as McLaren were disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

The Dutchman took the lead from Lando Norris at turn one after the McLaren star tried to block him on the inside. He ran wide and allowed Verstappen through, and could not get close to him as he won the race in fine style.

Norris crossed the line in second with his teammate Oscar Piastri initially finishing fifth, before he was promoted to fourth after a penalty for Kimi Antonelli. However, the results would not stand as McLaren were disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Excessive plank wear was the reason for the punishment, which subsequently put Verstappen right back into the title hunt. He is now level on points with Piastri and 24 points behind championship leader Norris.

McLaren protested the DSQ to the FIA for an hour after the race, a situation that ‘almost never happens’. In the end, the decision was final, and Red Bull have taken a huge chunk out of McLaren’s advantage.

Helmut Marko got the ‘bad result’ for McLaren he wanted as he spoke ‘off the record’ at Las Vegas GP

Many Red Bull key figures, including Helmut Marko, have consistently downplayed Verstappen’s title chances. The Austrian has said that a poor result from McLaren was needed for him to have a proper go at the championship.

Luckily, that result came in Las Vegas, and journalist Ronald Vording noted that Marko said ‘off the record’ that that was the McLaren mishap he was looking for.

Vording said via Motorsport.com Nederland: “The funny thing was, before this happened, I spoke to Helmut Marko in the paddock, and well, we also talked about the World Championship standings in the title race.

“And then Marko said: ‘Yes, we still need at least one really bad result from McLaren.’ Then I said to Marko: ‘Well, one, but I think you need a little more than that.’ And then Marko said: ‘Well, one would be nice.’

“Then that summons document came and this happened at McLaren. Then Marko was still there, so then I just walked off the record and said: ‘Well, that day you were talking about with one bad result, that could well be today.’

“Then he started to laugh and said: ‘Yes, looks like it.’ Well, in the end, that’s actually what happened.”

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Can Max Verstappen win the 2025 Formula 1 championship?

Verstappen says luck is needed for him to win the 2025 championship. He certainly got a huge serving of that in Las Vegas, as he now sits under a win’s worth of points behind Norris.

The odds are still in the Brit’s favour, however. He can wrap up the title in Qatar if he beats both Piastri and Verstappen over the course of the weekend.

With 58 points up for grabs, the championship battle can easily go down to the final race in Abu Dhabi. However, Verstappen’s hopes depend on whether he can outperform Norris in Qatar, with both drivers showing incredible consistency in the second half of the season.

Verstappen does not seem to be intimidated by Norris, as he continuously set the fastest lap of the race after McLaren told their driver to go after his rival. The Red Bull star has nothing to lose.