Verstappen now mature and patient – Marko

Dr Helmut Marko

(GMM) Max Verstappen has matured over the winter.

That is the view of his boss at Red Bull, Dr Helmut Marko. With the departure of Daniel Ricciardo, 21-year-old Verstappen is now the clear team leader.

"Max is still very young, but mature," he told Algemeen Dagblad newspaper.

"I already noticed it during the Barcelona tests. In other years he thought testing was boring and saw it as a chore, but this year I saw enthusiasm and concentration."

Verstappen has also been accused of impetuousness in the recent past, but Marko adds: "We will also see a patient Max this year, who understands that he cannot win all the races.

"Without that (approach), you will not become a world champion."