**Red Bull Advisor Helmut Marko Jokes About Gifting Charles Leclerc “Boxes of Red Bull” After US GP Outcome**
Red Bull F1 team advisor Helmut Marko humorously suggested gifting Charles Leclerc “boxes of Red Bull” for the Ferrari driver’s pivotal role in Max Verstappen’s victory at the United States Grand Prix.
Verstappen started the race from pole position, with Lando Norris alongside on the front row and Leclerc in P3. The Dutchman had a strong start, maintaining first place going into Turn 1 on the opening lap. Although Norris and Leclerc had similar reaction times, Leclerc’s choice of soft tires gave him better traction at the exit of Turn 1, allowing him to pass Norris—who started on medium tires—for second place.
Leclerc defended his position well, keeping Norris—whose overtaking attempts became predictable after a few laps—behind for 21 laps. Norris finally managed to overtake Leclerc on lap 21, but by that time Verstappen had already built a significant lead of around 10 seconds. This initial stint advantage helped the four-time world champion maintain control and eventually win the race, while Norris finished second.
Commenting on Leclerc’s impact on the race, Helmut Marko told GPBlog post-race:
“I should send him some boxes of Red Bull, I guess, but it was helpful because we were not under immediate pressure [from Norris]. We had the speed even if Lando would have been straight behind.”
After the pit stops, Leclerc emerged ahead of Norris again, forcing the McLaren driver to overtake him on track once more to secure P2 on lap 51 of 56.
Verstappen’s victory at the US GP reduced his championship points gap to Norris from 33 to 26 points. Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri still leads the drivers’ championship, but his P5 finish means Norris is now only 14 points behind his McLaren teammate.
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**Charles Leclerc Counts on US GP Podium to Silence “Unfounded Noise and Rumors” Surrounding Ferrari**
Ferrari headed into the United States GP weekend following two disappointing races in Azerbaijan and Singapore, where their drivers scored a combined total of just 18 points. Growing performance concerns carried over from the season’s first half, and team principal Frederic Vasseur’s position appeared to be under threat. Rumors circulated about Ferrari potentially approaching former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner as a replacement.
However, ahead of the US GP, Ferrari chairman John Elkann publicly reaffirmed his support for Vasseur and firmly dispelled those rumors.
Qualifying in P3 and P4 at Circuit of The Americas, Charles Leclerc and teammate Lewis Hamilton secured strong finishing positions with 3rd and 4th place respectively, helping to dampen speculative noise surrounding the team.
Leclerc reflected on the situation post-race, saying:
“The second part of the season hasn’t been easy. There is completely unfounded noise and rumours around the team. I think to demonstrate that in those kinds of situations, we can stay focused on the job and be rewarded with a podium is a really nice feeling.”
Leclerc’s podium at the US GP marked his sixth of the 2025 season. Meanwhile, Hamilton has yet to score a podium with Ferrari this year—a key goal for the remaining five races.
The Scuderia also remains in contention for second place in the 2025 F1 Constructors’ Championship, locked in a tight three-way battle with Mercedes and Red Bull as the season approaches its final stages.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/f1/news-helmut-marko-jokingly-offers-charles-leclerc-boxes-red-bull-helping-max-verstappen-us-gp-win