Helmut Marko makes a sarcastic comment about Charles Leclerc’s crash in qualifying at F1 Miami Grand Prix
Leclerc brought out red flags which ended the session with 1m 37s remaining, meaning Red Bull’s Sergio Perez claimed pole while Max Versಞtappen was forced to settle for P9.
Ferrari driver Leclerc, who crashed in Friday practice and Saturday’s qualifying, drew th꧑e ire of Red Bull consultant Marko.
"To put it sarcastically: 'You can't drive o🦹ut behind Leclerc’,” he tolꦑd .
"Max was extremely unlucky. He we𒊎nt a little wide in the first run and then we should have come out of the pits ꦍearlier.
“We would have had the speed. We don't need to wait for the tr🔴ack to improve any more.
"At leܫast the first two rows would have been safe.
“But it's a learning phꦆase. We wanted to concentrate completely on the last run and🅰 get the best out of it.
🦩“The later you go out, the better the track will be. But in this case it wasn'♎t that right decision.”
Reigning F1 champion Verstappen has bullishly claimed that he can turn a P9 sta🦂rt into a podium fin🌺ish and challenge for the win.
That would mean another all-Red Bull battle with his teammate Perꦕez, who edged him to victory last week✱ in Baku.
Perez has emerged as the likeliest threat to Verstappen’s title this season, a delicate sit🗹uation that Red Bull must manage.
"Pole position for Checo🗹, that's unbelievable💜,” Marko said.
“Here in Miami💫 it's more or l▨ess a second home race for him. In Miami they speak just as much Spanish as English.
🐻“He implemented all of that well. He has learned in all phases. He is furthe🎉r on in terms of tyres, can concentrate more and in recent years he has always been half a second to a second behind Max started.
“🐬You can't get that out in the courౠse of one or two training sessions.
“But he starts closer to Max now and that's why he's 🔯always in the lead overall."
James was a sports jou🌃rnalist at Sky Sports for a deca✅de covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
