F1 News: Helmut Marko's Damning Reaction To Sergio Perez's Dutch GP Performance - "Lucky"
Red Bull motorsport advisor Dr Helmut Marko has showered two-time champion Max Verstappen with praise whilst continuing to raise questions over Sergio Perez's future with the team.
Ahead of the race weekend in Zandvoort, Marko explained to the media that Perez's performance will be taken into account when deciding his future with Red Bull, going back on previous remarks that the Mexican driver's seat was secure. Adding to this after the race, in which Perez lightly crashed into the race wall at Turn 1, Marko claimed he would have not finished the race had the team not have been able to make the repairs under the red flag.
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Perez started from seventh position on the grid and crossed the line in third, however, due to a five-second penalty he lost his podium place to Pierre Gasly.
During a post-race interview with Viaplay, Marko commented:
"He was lucky with his pitstop that gave him the lead. And then, when he came into the pits, he crashed quite heavily into the wall. And also got a 5-second penalty.
"On the extreme wet tyres he was too late on the brakes, and there he was lucky because the car was damaged, the front wing, and without the red flag, he wouldn't have finished the race."
Verstappen took the victory in front of his home crowd and matched Sebastian Vettel's record of winning nine consecutive races. Marko also commented on Verstappen's incredible performance, saying:
"I don't know any. He is so superb. Doesn't matter dry or wet. He can read the race. He is nursing the tyres, and he is so calm.
"The ceremony before the start was really impressive. And there was so much emotion, but for him, that means a lot of pressure. He said hello to The King, jumped in the car, and just did it. He is already with the absolute top drivers of all decades."
