Marko Confident Red Bull Can Fight for Monza Win After Promising Pace

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko expresses optimism for the Italian Grand Prix, believing the team can "fight for the win" despite a challenging 2025 season.

Why it matters:

Red Bull has struggled to match McLaren's dominant pace this year, with Max Verstappen currently 104 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri. A strong performance at Monza would signal a potential turnaround and inject much-needed momentum.

The big picture:

• Red Bull's RB21 has found it difficult to compete consistently, leading to Verstappen missing out on a fifth consecutive world championship title so far.
• Verstappen has secured two wins in 2025, but the team's last victory was at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.
• Oscar Piastri leads the championship with seven wins.

The details:

Following Friday's practice sessions at Monza, where Verstappen finished P4 and P6, Marko highlighted significant improvements.

• "We have made a few updates, and also how we have built the cars," Marko told GPblog, noting a "different philosophy now" that "seems to be working."
• He added, "The package together makes a difference."
• Despite Verstappen's radio complaints about the RB21's bumpiness, Marko affirmed, "The car is fast, so generally, it is ok."
• Marko believes the low-downforce configuration is "very efficient" over the long run, with a need for "a little more traction to come from the soft tyre."

What's next:

Marko is hopeful for a competitive weekend. "We hope to fight with some others for the win, I would say, if McLaren doesn't show up, and there is something extra tomorrow, too." This suggests Red Bull is eyeing a strong qualifying performance and a direct challenge for victory.