Lewis Hamilton is world champion. At the penultimate race of the season in Brazil on Sunday (18.10 clock live ticker SPIEGEL ONLINE), Mercedes will probably secure the constructors title. So what's the point in Formula 1? For Red Bull, the view is already clearly in the direction of 2019. "We want to crown the youngest world champion in history," says motorsport consultant Helmut Marko: "I told the team that there are no excuses."

Red Bull not only increases the pressure on the team but also on Max Verstappen. The Dutchman is 21 years old, is considered both a great talent and as a hotspur - and could replace with the world title 2019 Sebastian Vettel as the youngest champion so far (season 2010, 23 years).

But where does Marko take his optimism from? This is primarily due to the engine change, which initially seems strange. Honda will supply Red Bull with engines from the coming season, the last such unfortunate marriage to Renault is finally over.

In June, when Red Bull confirmed the change, the idea was ridiculed. Honda, after all, this is the manufacturer who had to face many failures with McLaren after returning to Formula 1 in 2015 and was massively criticized.

However, this new chapter in the Red Bull story is carefully prepared. This year, the junior team Toro Rosso drives with Honda, "the data is confident," says Verstappen, "they are already ahead of Renault," says Marko.

In the Toro Rosso cars regularly new engine components are tried out, the pilots Pierre Gasly, next year instead of Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull, and Brendon Hartley concede therefore repeatedly take penalties. "This is the tactic to get the most out of next year," says Marko. "Toro Rosso is sacrificing his season for the Big One in 2019. That's part of our concept with Honda."

Nevertheless, the team is taking a risk with the change. Red Bull has the best chassis, but whether Honda next year with Mercedes and Ferrari can keep up, is doubted by many experts. Similar doubts exist on the title maturity Verstappens, who had previously missed it to Konstanz. Maybe Marko should make some excuses.

Formula 1 season 2018

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