In a new interview, Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko commented on the situation Red Bull Racing head Christian Horner found himself in, Lewis Hamilton’s decision to switch teams and answered the question of whether he is concerned that Max Verstappen will suddenly will decide to move to Mercedes.
Question: Mr Marco, how much influence does the Christian Horner situation have on the preparation for the tests and the start of the season in Bahrain?
Helmut Marko: I can’t tell you anything about this subject. As long as the investigation is ongoing and there is no result, you will not hear from me. This process continues and I hope we can quickly get the resulting turbulence under control. Luckily the car had been built and we were well prepared.
Question: They say that Max Verstappen could easily become champion in the new season in last year’s car…
Helmut Marko: This is complete nonsense. Last year McLaren was already comparable in speed on some circuits, but they lacked stability.
Question: What can the new RB20 do?
Helmut Marko: We will find out next week during the tests in Bahrain. Now we can say that the new car is an evolution of last year’s, which was the best. Nothing bad will happen if we eliminate a few weaknesses. But who knows, maybe the rivals have managed to pull off a clever trick in developing their cars.
Q: Now that you mentioned your rivals, what can you say about Lewis Hamilton’s move from Mercedes to Ferrari?
Helmut Marko: This news surprised me too. A true sports sensation at an unexpected moment. I wonder how it all happened. In the second half of 2023, Mercedes overtook Ferrari, and McLaren was also faster. Perhaps Hamilton has noticed something that the rest of the world doesn’t yet know.
Q: Will his decision change anything for Red Bull?
Helmut Marko: For us it doesn’t change anything, except that Hamilton’s departure will weaken Mercedes. Whether he will join Ferrari remains to be seen. Overall, his transition has had an incredible impact on many areas, including the value of shares in the stock market. It’s really great that these kinds of things happen.
Question: Lewis still has one season left at Mercedes…
Helmut Marko: Right. Usually in such a situation the driver is more focused on the new team and his current team can no longer tell him about new products because he is taking them with him. But his move is great news for the sport. The story is better than Netflix’s.
Question: How did Max Verstappen react to Hamilton’s decision?
Helmut Marko: He just liked it.
Question: Apparently Toto Wolff is going to try to make Mercedes an attractive option for Max…
Helmut Marko: Actually, it’s his job as team leader. He does everything he can to attract the best riders.
Question: Aren’t you afraid that Max won’t resist an interesting offer?
Helmut Marko: No, he has a good memory. A lot has happened in the past. Let me remind you of Silverstone 2021 or the season finale in Abu Dhabi. All this has deep roots.
Question: Not long ago, Toto Wolff said that he is so close to Hamilton that not even a piece of paper fits between them…
Helmut Marko: But the contract with Ferrari fit.
Question: What will you do if Max suddenly tells you he is leaving the team?
Helmut Marko: I exclude this option.
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
