Helmut Marko bullish over Max Verstappen ‘advantage’ in McLaren title fight

Max Verstappen may have dropped points to Lando Norris in Mexico City, but he made up ground in the championship fight as his deficit is down to 36 points with four race weekends remaining.

With 116 points still in play, Helmut Marko believes the dream of a fifth successive Drivers’ Championship is still “intact”.

Max Verstappen v McLaren: There can be only one

⦁ McLaren ‘fairness’ versus Red Bull’s ‘everything is focused on Max’
⦁ Pundit questions if Lando Norris can handle Verstappen pressure
⦁ Verstappen has one rival, McLaren. Norris and Piastri have two

Although Verstappen seemed down and out in the Drivers’ Championship after the Dutch Grand Prix when he dropped 104 points behind then-championship leader Oscar Piastri, the reigning World Champion is back in the fight.

Verstappen has clawed back almost 70 points in five race weekends to sit 36 points behind new championship leader Norris.

McLaren opened the door to Verstappen’s fightback when the team refused to favour then-championship leader Piastri over Norris, which allowed the Briton to take points off his teammate and chase him down in the standings.

The Briton won Sunday’s Mexico City Grand Prix, gaining the lead in the championship by a single point ahead of his Piastri. But while Verstappen dropped points to Norris for the first time in five race weekends, by beating Piastri, he actually narrowed his deficit in the Drivers’ standings.

Marko is crowing as he believes McLaren’s “fairness” could yet hand the title to his driver.

“116 points are still up for grabs and that a team has an advantage on a track is no longer a given,” the Red Bull motorsport advisor declared to Sky Deutschland.

“Our chances are intact.

“I hope that the two McLarens will continue to stick to their fairness rule. We have the advantage that everything is focused on Max. The opportunity is alive.”

More on Max Verstappen’s performance at the Mexico City Grand Prix

? Mexican GP conclusions: Big Norris chance, Verstappen illusion, new Hamilton document incoming

? Mexico City Grand Prix driver ratings: Norris leads perfect 10s; Sainz sorrow

Can Lando Norris capitalise on McLaren ‘fairness’?

Ahead of Piastri in the standings for the first time since the Bahrain Grand Prix, the championship is now in Lando Norris’ hands.

It may be by a single point, but it’s still a mental advantage especially as the Briton has overturned a 34-point deficit to his teammate.

But can he capitalise on it and do enough to hold off Verstappen? That’s the big question according to former F1 driver Timo Glock.

“The question now is,” he said, “will Norris use his second chance as World Championship leader or will it now be vague again?

“Did he understand why the pressure was too great for him, why he was no longer able to drive freely at the time?

“If he has understood that and now knows how to deal with it, then the cards are clearly in his favour. But is it that easy?

“When the helmet is put on and the pressure situation comes, it’s always something different than when we just stand here.”

Advantage: Lando Norris.

The title battle is now almost neck-and-neck, and the Briton has seized back the lead of the World Championship. pic.twitter.com/epJ7ULqDxA

— PlanetF1 (@Planet_F1) October 27, 2025

F1 2025: A three-way title battle

But while Marko called it fairness, others have labelled it sabotage. Fans on social media have called out the Woking team for “sabotaging” Piastri’s title chances.

Without actually giving that airtime, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has made it clear that Piastri’s problems over the last two race weekends related to track conditions.

Simply put, the Australian doesn’t know how to drive the MCL39 on a hot track when the car is slipping and sliding all over the place. Stella insists the last four circuits on the calendar will show that it is the track. More to the point, that it is not the team favouring one driver.

Formula 1 could therefore be in for a no-holds-barred run to the line. Three drivers separated by 36 points with 116 in play. One DNF, one crash, one engine failure, one moment of madness or ill-judged heroics could alter the course of the championship race.

And throughout it all, Verstappen will know he has his team’s entire support, he will be given preference in each and every situation, even taking Yuki Tsunoda’s RB21 if the situation arises that Red Bull can only field one car.

Norris and Piastri, they’ll have to fight it out themselves, each McLaren driver for himself.

Verstappen has one rival, McLaren. Norris and Piastri have two, their teammate and Verstappen.

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