At 24, Youre Already an Old Man: Karun Chandhok Reflects on Helmut Markos Toughness

Former Formula 1 driver and current Sky Sports expert, **Karun Chandhok**, shared his thoughts on **Helmut Marko** and **Christian Horner**.

«I was once a junior at Red Bull but chose to leave. Back then, I didn’t see a future for myself at Toro Rosso, so I decided to pursue other opportunities. I believe I was one of the few who parted ways with Helmut and Christian on good terms.

I recall Helmut giving me my first Formula 1 tests while I was in the junior program. He was tough. I remember flying with EasyJet during my GP2 days, trying to explain my weekend results over the phone. He would simply say, ‘Well, that wasn’t great,’ and hang up in the middle of our conversation.

Once, in Valencia, he approached me in the paddock and said, ‘Huh, you’re 24 — you’re already an old man. It’s time to get started,’ and then he just walked away. So yes, he was quite harsh. But you know what? He delivered results. In my view, he was bold in ways many in the paddock were not, especially when he took Max Verstappen directly from Formula 3 after just one season, without any other racing experience.

Max’s journey went from karting to Formula 3 to Formula 1. It was a massive leap that Helmut supported and took a risk on — a decision he made entirely on his own. Such choices deserve recognition,» Chandhok told PlanetF1.