HM: Yes, he’s shown on many occasions that he is light years away from your common Formula One driver by winning his first race sitting in a Red Bull. Yes, the two Mercedes drivers took each other out so this win probably fell in our laps, but Brazil showed that he is not only above average but that he will be a great one.

Helmut Marko: That we were right to sign him and put him into Formula One at an age where everybody called us mad. And that he has proved ever since that he is something special. Q: We have seen glimpses of how special Max is in the past, but was the race in Brazil the absolute proof of that?

Q: Helmut, in Brazil you seemed to have a tear in your eye as you looked at Max on the podium - something we’ve not seen for many years. What did that Brazilian race tell you about Max?

Q: In Mexico you were furious about the penalty that robbed Max of a podium - but the next race he was up there again. Is that a sign that you can’t keep a good man down?

HM: Yes, I was furious. How can you bring a guy to the podium and then tell him he has to go off again. But this weekend was again a ‘record’ for him: in two and a half hours he was third, fourth and fifth!



Q: With Sebastian Vettel you had a four-time world champion. How close is Max to having champion qualities? Is there any area where he still has to improve?

HM: He just needs the right car. But that goes for both our drivers - either can be champion next year - so hopefully we can deliver.



Q: So if you can give him a winning car he can be world champion in 2017 - is that what you are preparing him for?

HM: Yes, but as I just said, that goes for both our drivers. Staying with Max, when I first met him he was 15 - a 15-year-old boy with the maturity of a 26-year-old man and an unbelievable self-confidence. Since then three years have passed and he’s had a sensational learning curve. He doesn’t make mistakes twice - so he is definitely ready for the title fight. There is no need for any more extra preparation: he knows the name of the game!



Q: Max’s driving style has caused a fair bit of controversy, including criticism from some of the five world champions on this season’s grid. Is Max a wake-up call for the driver establishment?

HM: What I see is that he brings a completely new approach to the ‘reigning establishment’! He shows them again how racing should be - how it was in the past. I remember when guys like Senna and Schumacher came, they also had a different approach and were a shock awakening for the establishment of their time. They also were criticised massively. Now we have a young, hungry, sexy young driver, with a devil-may-care attitude about the spoils of former champions - whether they have won once, twice, three times or even four times.



Q: Some said that Max was in a league of his own in Brazil. Can you describe his driving style? Does he remind you of anybody?

HM: I saw a similar drive from Max at the Norisring in F3 some years ago: again in a league of his own - with a line of his own. In F1 I would compare his Brazil ride to Senna at Donington.



Q: So we know that Max is fast, that he’s witty, and that he is not shy when it comes to an on-track scrap. What is his most outstanding trait for you?

HM: Let’s turn it around: ask for weaknesses. No weaknesses aside from the act that he is sometimes not patient enough. He sometimes tries to force situations his way when all he has to do is wait a bit and it will fall into his lap. But this change is already in the making!



Q: With all the hype surrounding Max, Daniel has almost seemed invisible at times - despite the fact that he finished higher - third - in the driver standings. He will also be gunning for the title next year, so which of your two drivers will have the advantage?

HM: No advantage for one of them. They are both very fast drivers - with different approaches. And saying that Daniel is almost invisible: I know from the bonus that he will get this year - our drivers are mainly on a bonus system - that Daniel is anything but invisible! (Laughs) And when Max came to Red Bull Racing Daniel immediately raised his game. Daniel has huge potential - but he also knows that Max is not an easy one. He has to go to the absolute limit to keep up. That pushes the whole team forward.