"Formula 1 live"

Marko on lost dominance and Horner peace

Helmut Marko(Bild: AFP/APA/Andrej ISAKOVIC)

Ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, the giant Red Bull has begun to falter. Dr. Helmut Marko wants to "win anyway".

For once, Red Bull's Head of Motorsport Dr. Helmut Marko will miss the practice session in Montreal. The man from Graz will be awarded the Grand Cross of Honor in Gold by the Province of Styria for his services. Which adds another piece to his already bulging showcase of honors. "But it's not much use, because I don't go to the Opera Ball anyway," smiles the mastermind behind the Austrian racing team.

Dr. Marko has now digested the blandness of Monaco ("A farce, but they are already thinking about a new track layout, also because the flair in Monte Carlo is simply incomparable"), but he also knows that the industry giant Red Bull Racing has faltered.

"Dominance lost"
"We have lost the dominance of the first three races, the competition has caught up in the third year of the current regulations, copied and even improved some things. There is not much room left for innovation," analyzes the Head of Motorsport and emphasizes: "This is simply a logical development, nothing shameful."

Max Verstappen(Bild: AP)

The problem with triple world champion Max Verstappen's RB20 is simply that the car is difficult to control when driving over the curbs, meaning that the Dutchman can make a small mistake, as he did in Monaco. Dr. Marko: "Ferrari is better there, also in terms of top speed. The fact is, we're not going to Canada as favorites!"

"Horner? Have made a truce"
It can only be speculated to what extent the troublesome affair surrounding team boss Christian Horner (inappropriate behavior towards a female employee) is still affecting the mood in the racing team. "We have reached a truce," says Dr. Marko succinctly. Sounds good at first, but the dictionary defines it as follows: an agreement between (two) parties not to fight each other (for a certain period of time) ...

Helmut Marko and Christian Horner(Bild: AP/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Red Bull Racing's next goal is to fight the rivals from Ferrari and McLaren on the Montreal circuit. "We will be combining all our strengths," emphasizes Dr. Marko and sets the pace: "Even if we are no longer superior, we want to win. But we definitely want to get the maximum out of it and look towards the world championship title."

With the new two-year contract for Sergio Perez, the "bulls" are focusing on continuity - which could also be the case for Verstappen, who will be aiming for the Canadian triple on Sunday. Dr. Marko confident: "If the rain comes, then the Max factor will return!"