Marko: Verstappen can turn Monza pole into victory

Max Verstappen broke Lewis Hamilton’s long-standing record with the fastest lap in Formula 1 history on his way to a surprise Monza pole, but Red Bull insists he can also win the race.

Verstappen’s pole lap averaged 264.682kph, surpassing Hamilton’s 2020 benchmark, yet despite Red Bull’s difficulties with its 2025 machine, the Dutchman played down the achievement.

“The asphalt is different and we have different kerbs, so the circuit is simply faster,” he told Viaplay. “If you drive the 2020 Mercedes here, you’ll go even faster. Especially if you put me in that car,” he laughed.

He admitted Sunday will be the real test. “The race is usually our sticking point. I think McLaren will be fast. They always are in the race, they’re always better in the race than in qualifying.”

But team advisor Helmut Marko sounded more confident. “If Max can stay in front, he can manage his lap times and tyres,” he told Sky Deutschland. “The long run on Friday was great. So I’m optimistic that this statistic won’t come into play.”

That statistic? In the last several years, Monza pole often fails to convert to victory. McLaren boss Andrea Stella explained why his team was less dominant than usual.

“Our car is very competitive in the corners,” he said. “Even here, we’re the fastest in almost every corner, but the corners are relatively short, so overall we can’t be as dominant as on some other tracks.”

Title leader Oscar Piastri, lining up third behind Lando Norris, added: “We’re vulnerable on certain tracks. When the competition gets closer to us, it’s usually Max. The only surprise is how much Red Bull has improved compared to last year.”

Marko credited Verstappen’s talent as the decisive factor. “Only a driving genius like him can do that,” he said, while also pointing to changes in Red Bull’s post-Horner working methods.

Verstappen himself was cautious. “Yes and no,” he said. “The car is still sensitive, but I think we understand a bit better where we need to be with the car setup-wise. That won’t help much with the setup for next year, but it will with certain things in the long run.”