Helmut Marco: Ricciardo is slower than Perez and Verstappen

Red Bull’s chief advisor Doctor Helmut Marko is of the opinion that Daniel Ricciardo is currently not at the level of the team’s drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.

Marco’s claim is based on the Australian’s performance in the Red Bull simulator, where his times were slower than those of the world champion and Perez. However, he declined to comment on exactly how much the difference was, saying it was “internal information”.

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“While he was at Renault and McLaren he didn’t have that single-mindedness which allowed him to shine when he was with us. Maybe there was something else in his head that was distracting him and making him slower.

“His goal is to return to a top team. These are his claims. And I think this break from racing is good for him as he will be able to reinvent himself and decide what exactly he wants to do,” Marco told Formel1.de.