Verstappen ’anxious’ ahead of 2020 re-start - Marko

Dr Helmut Marko admits that the corona crisis has rattled Max Verstappen.

The Red Bull official says his star Dutch driver will not attend a couple of planned promotional events ahead of the back-to-back season re-start in Austria.

"I have to say that he is anxious," Marko told RTL. "We had a couple of events planned, but the security measures weren’t really optimal. That’s understandable.

"He wants to be world champion, he wants to be the youngest world champion this year, so he wants to avoid any risk.

"Most drivers live in Monaco where the safety precautions were very strict, so they will all come here well protected and prepared," Marko said at the Red Bull Ring.

Marko said he hopes to greet Verstappen with an actual handshake in July.

"Well, there are still four weeks left but with the easing and the numbers that we have in Austria, I hope that we can have a handshake as usual," he smiled.

Marko said there are strict virus safety protocols in place for the ’ghost races’, and confirmed that the media will be excluded.

"It will actually be easier for those who deal with the press all the time because it’s all cancelled," he laughed.

"Kimi Raikkonen doesn’t say much anyway but this time he can say nothing!"

Marko also confirmed F1 CEO Chase Carey’s claim that even if a driver tests positive for coronavirus, the racing will go on.

"He would go into his own isolation station and, very importantly, the event will not be in danger," said the Austrian.