Marko claps back at ‘didn’t try a little more’ Rosberg claim

Momentarily in a strategic position to bolt on new tyres and back up Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris into those behind, Nico Rosberg was “surprised” Red Bull didn’t try more while Charles Leclerc was perplexed by the lack of “games”.

But Helmut Mario believes if Red Bull would’ve pitted Verstappen, it would’ve given the advantage to Piastri.

Even Charles Leclerc expected Max Verstappen to ‘play a few games’

Verstappen made a great start off the line from pole position at the title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as he swooped across the track to cover off championship leader Norris.

In a race where Verstappen needed to win and Norris finish fourth or lower, the championship protagonists including Oscar Piastri, ran first, second and third with Verstappen and Norris on the medium Pirellis, and Piastri in second place on the hard tyres.

That handed McLaren two strategy avenues.

But as it all played out, Verstappen led the grand prix by 25 seconds ahead of Piastri, with Norris running third. It meant the Red Bull driver had a free pit stop, if of course all went all, but he’d then have Piastri glued to his rear wing.

That would have allowed him the opportunity to back up Piastri into Norris, and Charles Leclerc and George Russell, but it could’ve also opened the door for Piastri to attack him for the lead and the race win.

With four points between Verstappen and Piastri on the start line, the Australian would’ve taken the title by three points.

It was a no-win situation but one that others watching on were perplexed by.

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“I’m a bit surprised that Max and Red Bull didn’t try a little more,” said the 2016 Mercedes world champion said on Sky F1.

Charles Leclerc meanwhile, said he “expected Max to play a few games at the beginning or end of the race, but he didn’t do any of that so that… yeah.”

But according to Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko, such was McLaren’s two-tyre strategy for Norris and Piastri, the Woking team made that impossible for Red Bull.

“It was not quite enough, and it was one Red Bull against two McLarens,” he told PlanetF1.com and other media after the Abu Dhabi race.

“And unfortunately, we were hoping that Leclerc and Russell would have more speed, but that wasn’t the case.

“As long as they were second and third is was nothing.

“I mean, it did a clever move to put piastre on hard tires, that’s why we couldn’t bunch up the whole field, because the benefit would have been on the side of Piastri.

“The problem was that Ferrari and Mercedes were not strong enough. Ferrari just five six laps, and then the tyres were gone.

“Max did a super end race, and I think from this strategy, we couldn’t have done anything else. No Safety Cars or basically, this was a race without anything, no action.”

Red Bull team prinicpal Laurent Mekies also weighed in on the tyre strategy.

“It was possible to do it,” he said. “We didn’t feel it was it was the right options for us. I mean, we would have given up quite a large advantage by doing so.

“Ad we didn’t think that playing tactics will give us on edge in situations we were in so we chose to stay out to maximise the advantage we had and but to concentrate on winning the race.

“And as we said, you know, we can’t control what’s behind us. So, yeah, we did discuss that option, but we stick to our plan.

“I think it was quite clever, from their sidegave them a lot of options. Ultimately give us two scenarios to battle for the win so we are not expected it.”

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