In an interview, Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko commented on the team’s success last season, the prospects for cooperation with Honda, youth program participants and concluded that a new Max Verstappen is not in sight.
Question: What is the place in your personal ranking of the title won in 2022?
Helmut Marko: The first title in 2010 was definitely the most exciting as the final race was decided with three riders to claim it. In addition, he was the first for us and Sebastian Vettel, so he occupies a special place.
The title in 2021, which grew into a real thriller, turned out to be the hardest in terms of psychological stress. As for the 2022 title, the confidence with which Max won some races, especially at Spa, made a lasting impression.
Q: One of the factors behind the wins was fewer opponents making mistakes at Red Bull?
Helmut Marko: We certainly had fewer strategic mistakes – in most cases our plans for the race turned out to be correct. We were also helped by Max Verstappen’s ability to drive at the required pace and, when the strategy required, to take care of the tyres. The best example of Max’s ability was the race in Abu Dhabi. As soon as Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc approached him, he accelerated and started to regain three-tenths of a lap. Max had a margin in almost all races.
Q: There have been a lot of changes in the ranks of team leaders over the past few weeks. Is everything stable at Red Bull?
Helmut Marko: We are calm. We had discussions with the new boss, Mr. Mintzlaff, and everyone agreed that there is no point in rebuilding such a well-oiled mechanism as Red Bull Racing. AlphaTauri needs changes, because last season the results were unsatisfactory.
Q: What changes should you be prepared for with new leadership?
Helmut Marko: The new boss assured that in many respects everything will remain as it was under Dietrich Mateschitz.
Q: Will changes in rivals’ leadership weaken them?
Helmut Marko: In the case of Ferrari, I do not understand the reasons for replacing the team leader. I think Mattia Binotto is an excellent engineer and politician. The problem is that he had too many responsibilities – it was enough to get him a sports director to help him on the track and in choosing a strategy. I believe Ferrari will weaken with a new leader who has many other commitments.
Q: So, Mercedes and Red Bull will fight for the win?
Helmut Marko: Final. Thanks to stability and continuity.
Q: Red Bull is building its own engine and Honda has signed up for independent participation in Formula 1 from 2026. Why are you going in different directions?
Helmut Marko: There are reasons for such a difficult situation. Two years ago, Honda announced they were leaving, and at first it looked like we wouldn’t have an engine at all – Honda wouldn’t even supply us with the engine that was already there. Gradually we were able to convince them and we came to the cooperation we have now.
To secure our future, we have established our own power plant, equipped with the most modern AVL test benches. The same goes for Honda’s factory in Sakura, but when it came to negotiating who would do what from 2026, things got more complicated. We thought Honda would only produce the electrical part, but we couldn’t come up with a common denominator. Let’s wait – the decision will be made in the near future.
Q: Is another partner possible for Red Bull?
Helmut Marko: We will see.
Q: How much does the team need to own power plant production?
Helmut Marko: It’s an incredible challenge for us, and it’s mitigated by the fact that the incredible Ben Hodgkinson is leading the entire project. Nearly 300 experienced mechanics under his leadership. Not only from Mercedes, but also from Ferrari, Renault and Cosworth. Our team has incredible experience and knowledge.
Two factors will be decisive in the new regulation of power plants: the battery and the software. At the moment, according to advertising, every manufacturer produces the best battery in the world. It remains to be seen how the situation really is.
If you do not manufacture batteries, you must rely on alternative suppliers. And there are already third-party manufacturers ready to supply their batteries. You can make an agreement with them to use their know-how in your racing project.
Q: Back to Honda. If they decide to return in 2026, they will need their own team. The first candidate that comes to mind is AlphaTauri. Are you ready to sell this Honda team?
Helmut Marko: When Honda comes back, they need a top team. It can’t be AlphaTauri, especially if there’s no more synergy between us and Honda. Every powertrain manufacturer, from Audi to Renault, wants a second team. Honda doesn’t have that much choice.
Q: Does Red Bull Powertrains need a second team in terms of profitability?
Helmut Marko: We need it, and not just for financial reasons. Working with two teams means receiving information in double volume. This is an important factor in terms of development and reliability. Problems are solved faster with two teams.
Question: What needs to change in AlphaTauri?
Helmut Marko: They underperformed. Given their technical potential and financial capabilities, ninth place is unacceptable. They made a lot of strategic mistakes and the car didn’t have enough downforce. At the moment we are analyzing everything to understand what screws can be tightened to fix everything.
Q: Red Bull has an extensive youth programme. Which of the riders have you pinned your hopes on?
Helmut Marko: First with Isaac Hajjar, who I call little Prost because he looks like Alain. We also have other talents – Zane Maloney and Enzo Fittipaldi. All three will play for us in Formula 2 and they have to prove themselves. The most important thing is to always stay ahead.
Last season our Liam Lawson was sometimes invisible, but he still drove a good race. We also had Yuri Vips, who said the wrong word once, and that ended the partnership with him, which is also wrong. When you’re 21, sometimes you say stupid things.
Sebastian Montoya is still playing for us in Formula 3, so we have a lot of young drivers. However, if no one excels, as happened in 2022, then when recruiting drivers for our teams, we will look at which of the riders is available on the market. That is how we agreed with Nick de Vries. We need riders who have the potential to win the race. But we didn’t.
Question: Do you see the new Max Verstappen among the youth?
Helmut Marko: No.
Q: Which team do you fear more next season: Mercedes or Ferrari?
Helmut Marko: Absolutely Mercedes. Like I said, this is a more stable team. And they have Lewis Hamilton. While they failed to do that last season, at times around the circle we’ve seen time and time again that Lewis is one of the best. Mercedes is a much stronger team than Ferrari.
Source: F1 News
I’m Todderic Kirkman, a journalist and author for athletistic. I specialize in covering all news related to sports, ranging from basketball to football and everything in between. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, I have become an invaluable asset to my team. My ambition is to bring the most up-to-date information on sports topics around the world.
