Red Bull Racing’s advisor, Helmut Marko, acknowledged that the team did not have a backup plan in case their in-house power units fail to deliver in 2026. This revelation came after Red Bull’s disappointing performance at their home race in Spielberg, where a collision between two drivers cost them the victory. In a recent interview, Marko admitted that if their engine project for 2026 does not meet expectations, there is no alternative strategy in place.
Addressing the rumors surrounding the Red Bull engine projects, Marko dismissed them as baseless and insinuated that those spreading such stories may have ulterior motives. According to him, the project is progressing smoothly and is on track as planned. Marko emphasized that their engine will perform exceptionally well, attributing engine performance to various factors such as fuel quality and battery efficiency. He expressed confidence in Red Bull’s competitiveness in terms of horsepower and revealed their partnership with American giant Ford for this venture.
Marko went on to explain the sequence of errors that led to Max Verstappen losing his position in the final phase of the race. He traced it back to a problematic pit stop that caused issues, followed by Verstappen struggling with poor grip on the new set of tires. This loss of grip allowed Lando Norris to close in rapidly within the DRS zone, increasing the pressure on Verstappen.
Despite these setbacks, Marko highlighted Red Bull’s impressive track record in executing quick pit stops, with over 50 stops completed in just around two seconds each. These pit stops have often played a crucial role in determining race outcomes. The 81-year-old emphasized that he did not assign blame for the incident and viewed it as a hurdle that they can quickly overcome.
Marko acknowledged that unfortunate events can occur in a sport like Formula 1 and stressed the importance of learning from mistakes to avoid them in future races. Fans are eagerly anticipating a strong performance from Red Bull and Max Verstappen at the upcoming race in Silverstone.
