Red Bull's Helmut Marko has said that Max Verstappen needs two more race victories before the end of this season to be crowned Formula 1 world champion.

The Dutchman extended his lead in the Drivers' standings to twelve points at the weekend with him winning the US Grand Prix ahead of title rival Lewis Hamilton and team-mate Sergio Perez.

Indeed, it was a really positive weekend for Red Bull at a circuit that has favoured Mercedes more in years previously, and they'll now be looking to take further wins at tracks that have suited their own car a little bit better in Mexico and then Brazil.

Certainly, if Verstappen wins both of those races he'll be in a really strong position ahead of the final triumvirate of Middle Eastern Grands Prix at the close of the campaign and it appears as though Marko feels a brace of race wins in the final five will secure the Dutchman's maiden championship crown:

"The last three races were actually all Mercedes tracks and instead of coming to Mexico with a deficit, we come to Mexico with a 12-point lead. Mexico and Brazil should actually suit us even better because of the altitude," Marko said.

“As I said, we need to win 10 races if we want to win the championship, so we still need two.

"Then maybe we can lean back a little bit in the Middle East tracks because those tracks have crazy straights and Mercedes will certainly play their advantage there.”

Of course, Hamilton and Mercedes will have other ideas about Verstappen winning the next two, with the Mexican Grand Prix up next in just under two weeks from now.