Sky Sports F1 Pundit Ted Kravitz sheds light on the passionate exchange between Max Verstappen’s manager and Helmut Marko, explaining how it comes from problems from Red Bull’s Pit Stop Stop.
After Sunday’s Bahrain Grampurin, Kravitz shows in his “notebook” post-race “a notebook” that Verstappen’s manager, Raymond Vermullen, gave Marco “a part of his heart.”
This exchange came after Verstappen’s disappointing Bahrain Grand Prix, which finished in 6th place.
Verstappen’s race was inactive due to the lack of pace on the RB21, but the slow pit stops exacerbated the tough afternoon.
The Dutch remained in the title fight, sitting eight points behind Rand Norris ahead of Saudi Grand Prix this weekend.
Speaking about the latest episode of the Sky Sports F1 podcast, Kravitz speculated that Vermeulen’s complaints were the poor pit stop in Red Bull.
“It was something I saw. While Raymond Vermelen, Joss Verstappen, Christian Horner and Helmut Marco are discussing the situation, Raymond Vermelen seemed particularly troubling what I think is actually a pit stop issue,” Kravitz explained.
“Do we have any short memories? It wasn’t two weeks ago. Max Verstappen is definitely back at the World Championships after a great performance in Japan. He won the Grand Prix with Paul. Let’s take a little attention.
“Red Bull would have known from testing that it wasn’t as fast as McLarens or actually Mercedes. There was little surprise.
“I think Verstappens was frustrating, Raymond Vermeulen moaning, Max said this, but when everything in the car isn’t that big, at least it needs to be good pit stops and good operational.”
Is Wheatley responsible?
Red Bull has lost many key staff in the past 12 months.
Jonathan Wheatley, the current Formula One Team Principal at Sauber, was the mastermind behind Red Bull’s Razor-Sharp Trackside team.
Wheatley helped Red Bull have the best pit stop on the grid, holding the record for the fastest pit stop in a few seasons.
However, Kravitz doesn’t think Whaitley’s departure will blame the recent mistake.
“If we count the slow pit stops Max had in Japan, we count that we are at odds with Rand Norris when Rand gets on the grass, and that Light No. 1, Light No. 2, who doesn’t work at Max, and Light No. 2, who doesn’t work at Yuki, and then on the frontline’s second stop,” Kravits added.
“It’s the four pit stop issue that Red Bull had in two races. It’s very unusual. Of course, these things happen.
“Maybe. The electronics in the pit stop traffic system don’t know that he is now the principal of the Sauber team and is gone. He didn’t spend the evening.