In an interview, Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko summed up the first half of the season and expressed regret that Ferrari’s rivals are making too many mistakes.
Question You once said that you want to leave with a head start of 50 points for the summer holidays. Now Max Verstappen’s lead over Charles Leclerc is 80. Has the battle for the title already been won?
Helmut MarkoA: Don’t say that. Nine races are still ahead, playing 225 points for wins, plus sprint and points for best laps. No, we can’t afford to relax and sit back.
Q: But there was never such a big gap for the summer holidays. Only Niki Lauda, in terms of points today, had a comparable advantage in 1976 for the Nürburgring brand.
Helmut Marko: And who won the title that year? James Hunt! Okay, times were different. The current level of security is not comparable to what it was in the past.
Q: At the start of the season it looked like Ferrari would dominate all year. How did they manage to lose so much with a great car at their disposal?
Helmut Marko: They do almost everything wrong. For example in Budapest. For the first time in the season, they failed to get the tires within working range and then chose the wrong strategy for pit stops.
Q: Toto Wolff claimed Ferrari used up all the tires during practice and they had no other choice…
Helmut Marko: In that case I don’t understand why they didn’t put old tires on Leclerc. They would still be better than Hard. As a result, Toto and Mercedes benefited the most – their second and third places were presented as a big win.
Question: Do you suffer from it?
Helmut Marko: I just want to see an honest evaluation of Max’s performance. After a qualifying error, he started tenth and won on a track where a driver is considered to have no chance if he starts from low positions. If Max started first, he would just go ahead of the rest.
Question: What is the secret of Max’s success?
Helmut Marko: When we invited Max to Formula 1 at the age of 17, he had the greatest talent I have ever met, but he was very impulsive. Thanks to the victories, he was able to rest. Did you see how he overtook at the start in Budapest? I then thought: is Max really driving that car? With his composure, he facilitates the work of the whole team.
Q: Do you like this season more than last year?
Helmut Marko: Yes, rarely is it this much fun. Almost every weekend brings fun. This season is noticeably different from last year when I had to work in constant nervous tension.
It’s just a bit of a shame that Ferrari makes so many mistakes. They underperform their abilities, and we are deeply sorry for them. But I repeat – they have a fast car, so they will return.
Q: Gerhard Berger believes Ferrari could not handle the unexpected role of the favorite and so they are mistaken. Do you agree with such a theory?
Helmut Marko A reasonable explanation.
Q: Berger also says that Red Bull Racing wouldn’t have had as much success without you…
Helmut Marko: If Berger had listened to me in his day, he could have become world champion.
Q: Who should Mick Schumacher listen to to stay in Formula 1?
Helmut Marko: Compared to last year, he is doing better. He was always in the Ferrari program, so I never really followed him.
Q: Do you understand why Sebastian Vettel decided to leave Formula 1?
Helmut Marko: Vettel’s rigor was a perfect fit for our team, so the union worked perfectly. Now he has other priorities and the car won’t allow him to climb the podium, so it makes sense that he made such a decision. If you don’t put your heart and soul into your work, you will achieve nothing.
Q: In Fernando Alonso’s case, everything is different?
Helmut MarkoA: He is very fast. What kind of race he throws out was the biggest surprise of the season for me. I believe he is still capable of winning, but the question is whether Aston Martin will be able to provide him with the right car.
Q: The last question concerns the collaboration between Red Bull Racing and Porsche. Why hasn’t there been an official announcement yet?
Helmut Marko: First the regulation on engines has to be approved. Then we can announce everything.
Source: F1 News
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