Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko remains convinced that🗹 Max Verstappen still has a chance of winning this year’s Formula 1 world championship.

After winning four of the opening six races of the delayed 2020 season, Lewis Hamilton has opened up a 37-point advantage over Verstappen, who has claimed the only non𒉰-Mercedes victory so far in the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Red Bull had high hopes of challenging Mercedes for both world titles this year, but so far the reigning world championship-winning outfit has boas👍ted a clear advantage over its chief rival.

But in an interview with German publication ജ, Marko asserted that “Verstappen can still become world champion, that's our goal for the season.”

Verstappen ultimately finished 24s behind Hamilton in the Spanish Grand Prix last time out, despite Red Bull holding an apparent tyre management advantage at the previous round at Siᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚlverstone. Marko put the deficit in Barcelona down to setꦫ-up related issues.

“We were there on Friday with🐻 very good long runs on Mercedes’ 𝔍level,” Marko explained. “But in the race both tyre types overheated on the rear axle, so we had to reduce our speed.

“It was even wors☂e for [Alex] Albon than for Verstappen, becau෴se we had gone the wrong way in his setup as well.”

But Marko is confident Red Bull can close the gap at thi🍒s weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, where the team is introducing new parts t𝕴o improve stability.

“We still have certain༺ disadvantages due to our chassis, which is somewhat unpredictable because data from the wind tunnel is not reflected on the track,” he said.

“But we’re working hard on thౠat. We’re bringingꦗ new parts to Belgium again, which should help to improve stability.

“We’re not even at the halfway point of the season n🦋ow. And at some point t🉐he Mercedes winning streak must end.”

And Marko also predicts the Honda-powered squad will benefit from the qualifying engine mode ban w✱hich has been postponed until the Italian Grand Prix, adding it will “not♔ only affect qualification, but also the in and out laps and and overtaking."