In response to Lewis Hamilton’s call for F1 to make rule adjustments in order to limit Red Bull’s advantage, Helmut Marko has swiftly fired back.
Hamilton had suggested a specific date, 1 August, as the earliest teams can commence their work on next year’s car.
Marko, the motorsport advisor for Red Bull, argues that Mercedes, with their formidable engine from the past, often gained an edge over their competitors in terms of development, thanks to their dominance in the championships.
This season, Red Bull has been an unstoppable force, securing victory in all nine races thus far. Their impressive performance allows them to shift their attention earlier than their rivals to the development of their 2024 car.
In response to Hamilton’s suggestion, Max Verstappen expressed a firm retort. That viewpoint was echoed by the 80-year-old, who reminded Hamilton that in the past, Mercedes had the advantage of developing their new car long before the rest of the field.
“He apparently has a pretty bad memory,” the 80-year-old told Motorsport.com.
“In the years that Mercedes dominated, they also started work on the car for the following year much earlier than other teams.
“Then they mainly had a superior engine, one that could deliver much more horsepower than the rest.
“If you don’t have to put energy into this year’s chassis, then of course you will already look at next year. That’s just how Formula 1 works.”
As Red Bull continues their flawless streak, winning all nine races so far this season, speculation arises about the possibility of them achieving victory in all 22 races.
However, Helmut Marko, the voice of reason, emphasizes that their primary objective is to secure the championship titles. Only once they have accomplished this feat will they shift their focus towards maintaining their remarkable winning streak, if it still persists.
“With us it is now a combination of a very good chassis, a good engine and an exceptionally good driver,” he said. “The team also makes almost no mistakes in the execution.
“We want to win as many races as possible, but we have to secure the World titles first. That remains the most important thing.”
He was quick to rebuff any suggestions of complacency creeping in.
“Don’t worry about that, you know,” he said. “We are definitely not becoming too relaxed or easy-going within this team.”
