In a post-race analysis, Helmut Marko, Red Bull's motorsport advisor, expressed his belief that Red Bull's failure to inform Max Verstappen about Lando Norris's track limits investigation could have potentially avoided the late crash between the two drivers at the 2024 Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix.

The incident occurred in the closing stages of the race at the Red Bull Ring, as Norris had already gone off the track three times and received a black-white-warning flag for track limits violations. However, Verstappen was not made aware of Norris's investigation before they collided at Turn 3.

Speaking to Red Bull's TV channel, ServusTV, Marko highlighted several factors that contributed to the outcome of the race. He mentioned the pitstop error during Verstappen's second stop, which allowed Norris to slip into the DRS window. Marko also acknowledged Red Bull's assumption that the hard tires would be a better choice in the hot weather, which turned out to be incorrect due to lower temperatures.

Marko admitted that both drivers were driving aggressively, but he questioned whether Red Bull could be held partly responsible for not letting Norris pass since they were aware of the ongoing investigation against him. He suggested that in hindsight, they could have chosen to let him go.

Despite the disappointing crash, Marko focused on the positives, emphasizing that Red Bull extended their lead in both the constructors' and drivers' championships. Additionally, Marko attributed Verstappen's lock-up and near-off incident during his out-lap after the second stop as another contributing factor to the collision.

Up until that point, Verstappen had been in control of the race, showcasing better pace on the medium tires in the first stint compared to Norris. However, as the race progressed and both drivers switched to hard tires, Norris started to close the gap.

Marko expressed his disappointment that the late battle between the two drivers turned into a focus on track limits violations rather than a fair finish. He acknowledged that it started as an exciting battle but then deteriorated into a question of who was pushing the boundaries more.

The incident serves as a lesson for Red Bull to improve communication with their drivers and potentially react differently when faced with track limits investigations. As the championship race continues, Red Bull will aim to learn from this incident and maintain their lead in the upcoming races.