Recently, Max Verstappen downplayed his eagerness to win the world championship title this season amidst the never-ending battle against Lewis Hamilton. The Dutchman reckoned he wouldn’t mind losing out to the seven-time world champion, as finishing second will not “change his life.”

However, Red Bull F1 advisor, Dr. Helmut Marko, has contradicted Verstappen’s claim and further revealed why the Dutchman is not confident of winning the championship this season. But, before moving forward, here’s a bit of context over what the Red Bull driver actually said.

“I think even if we finish second we will have had a great season, and at the end of the day, it’s not going to change my life. I enjoy what I’m doing and I think that is also very important. For me, there is not much to worry about, really,” Verstappen acknowledged.

Marko demands Verstappen to defeat Lewis Hamilton

Speaking to Auto Motor Und Sport, Marko affirmed that winning the 2021 championship title is very important for both Verstappen and Red Bull. “Life goes on for sure. But the world title is something very, very important for him – and for us. This is not a question,” he said.

Marko further opined that Ferrari’s late resurgence and Mercedes’ constant push with the power unit have caused Verstappen to not be optimistic about winning the championship this season.

“He’s lagging behind due to the circumstances. Because Ferrari had this miraculous increase in horsepower with the engine at that time. Mercedes was forced to do everything possible to compensate,” the Austrian added. (Translated via Google Translate)

Would be a bitter disappointment if Max doesn’t take it: Marko

Marko acknowledged that 2021 is offering Verstappen a golden opportunity to win the title. Since such opportunities hardly ever come in F1, he reckoned it would be a bitter disappointment if the 24-year-old fails to secure it.

“It would be a bitter disappointment for Max if he didn’t take it. If you take the statistics: How many kilometers we have covered. We have more race wins. Our failure in Baku. There was already a certain superiority. But, this is not reflected in the score,” Marko concluded.

Overall, Marko’s demands are loud and clear. He is not letting Verstappen’s morale fall, especially at this time of the year. Hence, the Dutchman will continue to surge forward in the fight against Hamilton.

But can he hold on to this lead until the end? Or are we in for a late comeback from the seven-time world champion? Only time will tell.

Watch Story: Mad Max: Verstappen’s Angriest Rants on Team Radio