Helmut Marko believes that McLaren’s resurgence is linked to the work of former Red Bull staffer Rob Marshall, who ended a 17-year career with the Milton Keynes squad to join Andrea Stella’s crew in 2023.

“I think there’s an obvious connection,” Marko told Motorsport.com. “McLaren’s upward trajectory began immediately after that switch — that was the Austrian Grand Prix in 2023. It’s clear that some knowhow was transferred. Rob Marshall is a very experienced, capable designer, and his influence has become noticeable at McLaren.”

Looking at his own team’s recovery plans, he explained: “There was a meeting with the lead engineers and Max, where all these issues were openly laid out, along with the solutions we have planned.

“Updates, of course, can work — or they might not. That happens at Mercedes, it happens at Ferrari. We’re chasing something much more stable — a car that works on all tracks, at all temperatures, and with all tyre compounds. That’s the direction we’re headed in, and I’m confident we’ll get there.”