Helmut Marko makes downcast prediction after Red Bull & Max Verstappen retirement

Helmut Marko says that ‘difficult times’ are ahead for Red Bull after they saw Max Verstappen suffer his second retirement of the season at the Australian Grand Prix.

The Dutchman was looking pretty nailed on for a second-place finish around Albert Park, with Charles Leclerc keeping him at arm’s length.

However, as in Bahrain at the start of the campaign, Verstappen would not see the chequered flag as he pulled the car over with a mechanical issue.

Post-race, Marko revealed that a petrol leak was part of the reason he had to switch his RB18 off and, with Ferrari once again looking strong, Marko believes some hard work lies ahead for the men from Milton Keynes.

“It leaked petrol, but we don’t know where and how,” he told Sky Germany.

“It just leaked a lot of petrol. That’s why we said he should stop immediately – preferably where there is a fire extinguisher.

“We don’t just have these reliability problems, which are actually largely unknown to us – we don’t know that at all.

“The other thing is this weight problem. We’re well ahead (heavier) of Ferrari there. That’s a difficult balancing act, even with the cost cap.

“Difficult times are ahead of us. We were surprised at how fast Ferrari was today.”