Marko tags ‘exceptional’ Red Bull junior as next Verstappen

Red Bull has always had a knack for spotting talent early, and their latest discovery could be set for glory in Formula 1’s next decade.

According to Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko, 13-year-old Dutch racer Rocco Coronel has caught the team’s attention in a way that’s drawing comparisons to none other than Max Verstappen.

As a member of Red Bull’s junior programme, Coronel is already being groomed as a potential successor to the three-time World Champion.

Marko, who famously spotted Verstappen’s potential and pushed him into a Toro Rosso seat at just 17 years old, is excited about the raw talent and maturity shown by the young Coronel.

"We were very surprised by Rocco," Marko said, reflecting on the Red Bull test that solidified the teenager’s place in their coveted development program.

"He is 13 years old, so he was younger than Max when we started with him. There were several good drivers, but for his age, Rocco Coronel was definitely exceptional."

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Rocco, the son of seasoned Dutch racer Tom Coronel, was recently given the chance to drive a Formula 4 car during a Red Bull test. His performance was so impressive that he was quickly moved up to an F3 machine – a leap that’s almost unheard of for someone so young.

His father was blown away by his son’s calm under pressure. "The great thing was that Rocco drove a Formula 4 car for a day," Coronel Sr said. "That went so well that they put him in a GP3 car the next day.

“It’s actually bizarre for a thirteen-year-old boy."

Tom Coronel is no stranger to high-level motorsport, having competed in everything from Le Mans to the Dakar Rally, and he’s well aware of the pressures that come with the sport.

But for Rocco, handling the spotlight seems to be second nature.

"The great thing is that he’s very relaxed about it. I also try to play everything down a bit," the elder Coronel explained. "It also ensures that he’s never nervous or very impressed by anything. Not even during that test."

Marko admitted to seeing similarities between Rocco and Verstappen – not just in talent but also in temperament.

"He is quite mature," Marko noted. "He has self-confidence, and also has a pretty dominant father, it seems, in the Netherlands. But then his father stopped talking, and he [Rocco] told more about himself."

The balance between Rocco’s growing racing career and his everyday life is another aspect that impressed Marko. The young driver seems to handle both with ease, a quality that could be crucial as he continues to rise through the ranks.

"I’m impressed with how he keeps the balance between racing and school," Marko added. "So I’m sure that if Max ever quits, we might already have his successor in place."

Verstappen’s rapid rise from a teenage prodigy to a four-time F1 world champion was an investment that paid off spectacularly for Red Bull. Now, Marko seems to believe that lightning could strike twice with Rocco Coronel.

Just as Verstappen benefitted from the guidance of his father, Jos, Rocco is growing up under the watchful eye of Tom Coronel.

As Rocco continues to hone his skills under the Red Bull banner, his father is taking a measured approach to his son’s rapid ascent.

But there’s no denying that the young apprentice is on a fast track, both literally and figuratively, and is now firmly on Red Bull’s radar as a future F1 star.

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