Helmut Marko opens up about the development constraints of the Mercedes W14
The head of the Red Bull Young Drivers program, Helmut, opened up about the situation of Mercedes this season, stating that he does not see them as dominant. He also discussed his future within the Red Bull team.
He is one of the pillars of the Red Bull team and is known for his toughness and frankness. Helmut Marko spoke without mincing words about Mercedes and his future with the reigning world champion team.
Last Sunday during the Bahrain Grand Prix, the Mercedes team had a difficult race, never really threatening the untouchable Red Bulls and overtaken by the quick Aston Martin of Alonso in long stints. According to Helmut Marko, Mercedes is where they belong and he doesn’t see them fighting for the world title. “The world championship title is out of reach for Mercedes,” declares the Austrian technician. He points out several problems that Mercedes is facing: “Mercedes’ concept has not one, but several problems. You can’t design two or three cars,” he specifies. Mercedes is considering completely revising their car during the season. This could pose a financial problem, according to Marko: “If a new car arrives now, it will be difficult considering the financial limits of the budget cap. And the new car won’t be competitive right from the start, you have to further develop it,” he adds. Helmut Marko remains cautious about voices that claim Red Bull will become world champion again this season, which he considers “completely exaggerated.”
Approaching his 80th birthday, Helmut Marko has spoken about his future within Red Bull. The man who has brought forth many champions is not tied to Red Bull and has stated that he can leave whenever he wants. “I am a free person. I can stop at any time if I am no longer happy,” Marko emphasized. He also spoke about his relationship with the new CEO of Red Bull, Oliver Mintzlaff, which is different from the one he had with Dietrich Mateschitz, who passed away in 2022. “We have met twice. We have a direct, personal, and friendly relationship,” highlights the Austrian. It is worth noting that Helmut Marko has been with Red Bull in Formula 1 since its creation in 2005.
