Max Verstappen retired from the Australian GP on lap four of the event.
Helmut Marko, Max Verstappen and Christian Horner (Via: IMAGO)
Max Verstappen, the reigning F1 world champion, did not have the best of outings during last week’s Australian GP. He was knocked out of the race after an engine issue, but ahead of the Suzuka event, Red Bull’s team adviser, Helmut Marko has admitted that the team is not worried.
Max Verstappen has been on a warpath during the ongoing campaign. He has been operating on an extremely high level and his Melbourne DNF came as a bit of a shock to everyone. However, the Austrian team is determined to get back to usual service at Suzuka.
Max [Verstappen's] brake broke down, the exact cause is still being investigated. But it's not down to the caliper. It's more an assembly problem, but that is being checked. For Japan I don't have any worries, that's not a problem.Helmut Marko said in an interview with GP Blog
The 80-year-old veteran has made it quite clear that Red Bull is going at full tilt to make sure Verstappen does not face any issues during the Japanese GP. The Austrian outfit only managed to come away with 10 points from Melbourne after the Dutchman’s retirement.
Red Bull has high expectations of Max Verstappen at the Japanese GP
While Helmut Marko has made it known that Verstappen in all likelihood, will not face any car-related issues in Suzuka, he has also stressed the latter’s might around the track. Red Bull is expecting a dominant performance from the 26-year-old.
He has always proved very strong around the 5.807 km long Suzuka circuit.
Suzuka is a power circuit that suits us, Max is always great there. I am very optimistic.Helmut Marko said in the same interview
The reigning world champion has been making his trade with Red Bull since 2016. With each passing season, he has only got better and under the current regulations, no one really has been able to stand up against him.
The Melbourne event was a shocker but knowing Verstappen, it is very likely that he will annihilate all his competition at Suzuka International Racing Circuit. Several eyes will be glued on his RB20 during next month’s three-day carnival.
