Marko: Verstappen could take pole in an AlphaTauri… in mixed conditions

Helmut Marko says Max Verstappen's remarkable skills and ability would put him "in a class of his own" at the wheel of any F1 car depending on the conditions.

At Spa last time out, Verstappen concluded the first half of his 2023 campaign with a comfortable 125-point advantage in the Drivers' standings over his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez.

All signs point to Verstappen continuing his relentless forward march towards his third F1 world title in the back half of the season, a feat that could be achieved, like last year, as soon as next month's Japanese Grand Prix.

While the Dutchman is armed with a car – Red Bull's RB19 – that is by far and in every circumstance the most dominant machine in the field, and the perfect complement to the 25-year-old's phenomenal talent.

• Read also: Marko vindicated over team's 'brave' risk signing Verstappen

But on a rainy day or in mixed conditions, Marko believes that Verstappen's genius and flair would prevail in any car on the grid.

"In such conditions, he would put an AlphaTauri or a Haas on pole in qualifying," Marko told Motorsport-Total. "Max would be a class of his own in every car.

"The Max of 2020 cannot be compared with the Max of 2023 – except for the same name. He has gained tremendous supremacy.

"For me, the champion of reading a race was always [Lewis] Hamilton, as he spared his tyres. And Max is now also the same, if not even better, because it is better at basic speed.

"An incredible development process has taken place," added Marko, underscoring the evolution of Verstappen's maturity.

At Spa, Verstappen claimed his 45th career win in F1 and his tenth win of the season, and also his eighth consecutive triumph, putting him just one consecutive win short of Sebastian Vettel's record run in 2013 of nine successive victories.

Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner believes that F1 fans are currently witnessing with Verstappen the prowess and accomplishments of a once-in-a generation phenomenon.

"Generally, it has been outstanding," Horner said, echoing Marko's comments. "And what we're witnessing with Max at the moment is something that you see once in a generation.

"Like all the great drivers, he just has that extra capacity.

"What we're witnessing and seeing with him at the moment is his ability to read the tyre, to read a race, to extract absolutely everything out of it.

"It's great to see. I think he's just at the top of his form at the moment."

Verstappen has alluded in the recent past to his F1 future, claiming that he is unlikely to extend his stay among motorsport's elite once he reaches his thirties.

Marko suggests that Red Bull's charger will unceremoniously call it a day at the end of the season and move on.

"Max is different," said the Austrian. "He will come one day and say: ‘Thank you, that’s it.'"

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