RADIO GAG: MARKO LAUGHS AT MCLAREN'S 'ATTACK MAX' MESSAGE
Red Bull's Helmut Marko laughed at a McLaren radio message telling Lando Norris to "attack Max" in the Las Vegas GP. Verstappen responded with a series of fastest laps to win by over 20 seconds.
Helmut Marko was amused by McLaren telling Lando Norris to go after Max Verstappen near the end of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
After fighting his way back to second after losing the lead from pole position at the first turn, Norris heard from McLaren, “We’re going to get Max.”
Verstappen then set the fastest lap, pulling far ahead of Norris and winning by over 20 seconds, since Norris had to save fuel in the last laps.
Red Bull advisor Marko said McLaren's instruction to Norris made him laugh.
He [Verstappen] kept pace with the others without problems, which saved his tyres, Marko told Sky Sports Germany. We also stayed out longer than everyone else.
We knew about the condition of the other teams' tyres, and the funniest thing was the message from McLaren: 'Attack Max, overtake him.' Then [Verstappen] hammered in one fastest lap after another, just to make it clear.
He did it so confidently and easily. We had no problems at all. Lando had some trouble near the end since he was two or three seconds slower. Sadly, no one could take advantage.
From the first lap, I wouldn’t say [Max] won the start. He won the first corner and basically forced Norris into a mistake.”
Norris admitted Verstappen was too fast.
Norris said after the race that McLaren wasn't fast enough to challenge Verstappen.
“We just weren't quick enough. We didn't have the pace,” he said. “I messed up Turn 1 - it was pretty bad. I braked too late. It was all on me, pretty bad.
“Even if I came out in P1 out of Turn 1, we were not quick enough. Same as Brazil. Max has done a very good job, and the Red Bull is very quick. They deserve the win.
“They were in another league compared to us. It’s a shame we didn't have more pace, but we’ve got to try and improve a bit more.”
After his disqualification for plank wear, Norris has a 24-point lead over Verstappen and McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri going into the final two rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
SERGIO PEREZ BREAKS SILENCE ON CADILLAC’S FIRST FOUR RACES OF 2026 F1 SEASON
Discover why Sergio Perez is confident in Cadillac’s 2026 path despite urgent needs for better pace and reliability fixes.
Sergio Perez didn’t waste time sharing his thoughts on Cadillac after the first four races of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Cadillac shows up in 2026 as F1’s newest team, but honestly, not a lot of people expected fireworks right away. With veterans like Valtteri Bottas and Perez behind the wheel, the team’s start has been a mix, some moments full of promise, others derailed by reliability issues.
Still, Cadillac isn’t just stuck at the back. Lately, they’ve been right there fighting with Aston Martin and even managed to split them in Miami, which turned a few heads.
Perez knows the team is at risk of falling behind in this crazy-fast development race, though. “We still have work to do, but I’m confident we’re on the right path,” he told reporters, including Motorsport Week.
He added, “Sometimes, once tyre degradation sets in, we can hang with the midfield, but they always seem to find another gear. There’s a long way to go this season, but we’re in a rush to find more pace. We know Aston will get stronger, and we don’t want to be left behind.”
Racing Aston Martin has actually brought Perez some enjoyment. He especially likes battling Fernando Alonso, calling those fights fair and satisfying. Still, he pointed out a weak spot: “We’re having fun with them. Racing Fernando is always great because he’s so fair. But we struggled with tyre degradation; we burnt through them too quickly. We picked the hard compound, but honestly, looking back, I should’ve gone with the soft.”
He said there’s plenty to analyse, and really, the key is getting a better grip on their car as they look ahead to Canada. “We don’t have much time, but in the short term, we need to fix the degradation. We have some ideas, but putting them together is our biggest challenge in the next few weeks.”
Cadillac may be the new kid on the block and still finding its feet, but it’s already starting to make an impact. The road out of the lower ranks won’t be easy, but they’re moving in the right direction.
HOW KIMI ANTONELLI’S THREE-RACE WIN STREAK IS REDEFINING THE MERCEDES TEAM HIERARCHY
With a 43-second gap in Miami, Antonelli proves he’s ready to lead the World Championship. Can Russell bounce back in Canada?
David Coulthard, the former Formula 1 driver, recently pointed out that Kimi Antonelli might be on track to overtake George Russell as Mercedes’ team leader.
Antonelli has been on an impressive run, clinching victories in the last three races and pulling ahead by 20 points over his main competitor and teammate, Russell.
At the Miami race, the young Italian once again outperformed his more seasoned teammate, with Russell managing only fourth place, trailing by 43 seconds.
Coulthard acknowledged Antonelli’s rapid rise in 2026, which is just his second season in F1. He highlighted Antonelli’s strengths and suggested that the Italian is, in many ways, now leading the Mercedes team.
“He’s come of age,” Coulthard said during the Up To Speed podcast.
Despite being relatively new, Antonelli has shown resilience, dealing not only with the pressure from a driver like Lando ready to strike but also with technical glitches like inconsistent paddle shifts. Coulthard mentioned how Antonelli kept his cool even when his engineer, Bono, was trying to help troubleshoot the issue in a tense moment.
“I think he’s earned the right to lead the World Championship,” Coulthard added, noting that this situation probably feels uncomfortable for George. Still, the expectations now lean heavily toward Antonelli leading the team, especially based on recent results.
Coulthard also pointed out that Russell has the experience and skill to reclaim his position as the team’s lead driver, but emphasised that only one can come out on top; someone must finish first and the other second.
The rivalry between them might start opening doors for other teams. Coulthard noted that improvements from McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull were already noticeable, especially in Miami.
“Winning in the best car isn’t always straightforward. Many have tried and struggled,” he said.
For Russell, who is feeling the weight of this momentum shift, the upcoming race in Canada will be crucial if he wants to close the gap and halt Antonelli’s winning streak.
