Helmut Marko to continue to attend every race of the 2024 Formula 1 season with Red Bull Racing as the 80 year old Austrian confirms his position in the team.
Red Bull Racing F1 advisor Helmut Marko, in an interview with Austrian publication OE24, has confirmed he will continue in his role with the team and is due to attend all 24 races of the upcoming Formula 1 season. The confirmation put rumours from late last year to bed which suggested Marko could be forced out of the team amid a power struggle.
“That’s not stressful for me.”
When asked by OE24 whether his future had been clarified with the team, Marko responded candidly before expressing his excitement for the upcoming season.
“Yes, in a positive sense, everything is continuing as planned.” Marko replied, speaking with OE24. “Yes, yes. But that’s not stressful for me. If I said: ‘It’s crazy what’s coming up!’, it would be difficult. But I tell myself: Australia is beautiful, I’m looking forward to the trip to Melbourne. From Friday 11 a.m. to Sunday evening I do my job for Red Bull Racing, and I enjoy it.”
“There’s plenty to do.”
Marko continued to discuss Red Bull’s preparation ahead of the upcoming season in which they hope to defend both the drivers’ and constructors’ championship titles. When asked if he had been in contact with reigning champion Max Verstappen, Marko admits the Dutchman is preoccupied enjoying the winter break.
Marko stated there is a lot of work for the team to get through ahead of winter testing in February, with work commencing to prepare for the season in early January.
“Only sporadically.” He said when asked if they had been in contact. “Max is currently in Brazil and he never gets in touch from there. It starts again after January 6th and 7th. The first preparations for the tests in February begin. There’s plenty to do.”
“There won’t be another season like this one again.”
Following Red Bull and Verstappen’s dominant, record-breaking 2023 season, Marko was also pushed to comment on Verstappen’s hopes of securing a fourth consecutive drivers’ title. In typical Formula 1 style, Marko played down the team’s chances while noting he expects stiff competition from the other teams on the grid.
“There won’t be another season like this one again.” He said. “But it should be assumed that our competitors will be better prepared for the 2024 season.”
