Max Verstappen's pace controversy dismissed by Red Bull's Helmut Marko

Lando Norris celebrated his second career win with a dominant performance, finishing 22 seconds ahead of Verstappen.

Norris, who started from pole position, briefly lost the lead into Turn 1 but quickly reclaimed it. Once in front, the McLaren driver was unchallenged for the remainder of the race.

Brundle suggested Verstappen might have intentionally reduced his pace to signal a "hurry up" to his team.

However, Marko vehemently rejected this theory in his Speedweek column. "Martin Brundle's assumption that Max was driving slowly on purpose is incorrect," Marko asserted.

Marko explained that Verstappen's pace was not a deliberate tactic but rather a consequence of setup issues. "When he saw that Lando was gaining ground, he chose not to take further risks," Marko said.

"The difference with [Sergio] Perez was due to a different car setup. We anticipated less tyre wear with more downforce, but this made Verstappen more vulnerable to high speeds."

Red Bull's early-season dominance has dwindled, with McLaren closing the gap in the Constructors' Championship to just 30 points with nine races remaining.

Marko acknowledged the threat to Red Bull's title hopes. "If this trend continues, our championship chances are at risk," he admitted. "However, this track suited McLaren, and the cool temperatures also played a role.

"We need to recalibrate our car and ensure our updates translate into improved performance on track."

The next challenge in the championship will be the 2024 Italian Grand Prix at Monza on 1 September. Known as the "cathedral of speed," Monza is the fastest circuit on the calendar, with cars averaging speeds over 260 km/h.

It is also the home race for Ferrari, the sport's oldest team.