Helmut Marko Critiques Verstappen-Norris Clash as ‘Unnecessarily Fierce’ After Tumultuous Austrian GP

Helmut Marko offers a 'needlessly harsh' assessment of the Max Verstappen-Lando Norris incident

Helmut Marko characterized Max Verstappen's encounter with Lando Norris as 'excessively aggressive' after an eventful Austrian Grand Prix.

During the struggle for the top position on the 64th lap, Verstappen and Norris clashed at the third turn.

Verstappen drifted a bit to the left while braking, crossing into Norris' trajectory.

The collision caused both drivers to suffer punctures, unexpectedly propelling George Russell to victory at the Red Bull Ring.

Verstappen received a penalty of 10 seconds for his involvement in the incident, a sanction that ultimately had no impact on his final standing, as he still finished fifth.

In contrast, Norris had to withdraw from the competition because of damage.

During a conversation with ServusTV, Marko shared his thoughts on the race, stating, "Several reasons contributed to us not securing the win."

"The issue with our pit stop inadvertently placed Lando within DRS range. We had anticipated that opting for hard tyres would be advantageous, however, this assumption proved incorrect due to the temperatures being cooler than anticipated."

"This implies that during his final segment, Lando was equipped with fresh tyres, whereas ours were previously used. This aspect played a role as well. Additionally, Max experienced a lock-up post his pit stop at Turn 4. Combining all these elements, it posed challenges for us."

Marko acknowledged that Red Bull might have needed to step in during the moment when Norris was scrutinized for breaching track boundaries and subsequently received a five-second penalty following their collision on the 64th lap.

"Marko further commented that he believed their driving was excessively aggressive."

"In hindsight, perhaps we too should have taken action, given our awareness of the ongoing probe into Lando's adherence to track boundaries. At the time, it remained uncertain whether he would face any sanctions.

Looking back, one might conclude, 'alright, release him.' However, focusing on the positive aspect, we've managed to extend our advantage in both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships.

"The competition was intense until it unexpectedly deteriorated. The focus shifted to who slows down at what point and who takes advantage of the track boundaries, rather than ensuring a clean and fair conclusion."

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