Marko reveals Verstappen finally believes he can end Singapore victory drought

Helmut Marko has revealed that Max Verstappen believes he can finally claim victory at the Marina Bay Street Circuit — the one race that has eluded the four-time world champion throughout his dominant Formula 1 career.

Speaking to Austrian publication oe24 in the wake of Red Bull Racing’s victory at the rain-delayed 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Sepang, Malaysia, the former team adviser said the recent momentum shift at Milton Keynes has given Verstappen fresh belief ahead of the 11 October Singapore race.

“Max said that he thought it possible to go to Singapore… finally to win,” Marko told oe24. “As is well known, this is the only victory he still needs.”

The Bahrain win carried additional significance beyond the result itself: it marked the first time Red Bull Racing had taken a grand prix victory powered by its own in-house engine programme. Marko was effusive about the achievement, drawing a comparison with Honda’s lengthy journey to competitiveness.

“It’s truly impressive what they’ve achieved,” he said. “Just think back to how long it took Honda back then, for example.”

Marko also offered an explanation for Red Bull’s inconsistent form earlier in the 2026 season, pointing to chassis deficiencies that have since been addressed through upgrades.

“The chassis was to blame for the fact that it hadn’t worked out earlier,” he explained, suggesting the improvements have unlocked the car’s potential on the kind of tight, technical street circuits where Singapore sits in a category of its own.

The Marina Bay circuit has long been Verstappen’s most conspicuous blind spot. While the Dutchman has accumulated victories at virtually every other venue on the modern calendar, the bumpy, humid streets of Singapore have consistently resisted him. With the mechanical concerns apparently resolved and confidence restored following the Bahrain result, Red Bull will arrive at Marina Bay with genuine expectations rather than hope.

Whether Verstappen can finally complete his circuit collection remains to be seen, but for the first time in some years, Marko is making no attempt to temper expectations.