Helmut Marko is leaving Red Bull after more than 20 years as a motorsport advisor: Why the Austrian considers the 2021 season to be “the toughest year” of his Formula 1 career
Helmut Marko is calling it quits: After more than 20 years in Formula 1, the 82-year-old Austrian will no longer be working as a motorsport advisor for Red Bull this season. Marko has celebrated glorious successes with Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, but has also gone through difficult times.
Despite Verstappen’s World Championship success, one season in particular has remained in the Austrian’s memory: “2021 was the toughest year I’ve ever experienced in Formula 1, in terms of emotions, politics—everything,” Marko said in a recent interview with F1 Insider, looking back on his time with Red Bull.
Why was that? “Mercedes dominated. Suddenly, Red Bull came along with a relatively young driver and challenged everything,” recalls the Austrian. However, it wasn’t just the controversial finale in Abu Dhabi that left a lasting impression on Marko this season.
“There were collisions on the track – the first at Silverstone, where Hamilton drove his front wheel into Max’s rear wheel and he flew off at over 300 km/h,” Marko recalls. “But there was also a sometimes toxic atmosphere off the track. Political intrigue everywhere. Very, very tough.”
2021 Formula 1 finale “runs deep at Mercedes”
The last race was just the final chapter. “Then came the finale in Abu Dhabi, which turned out in our favor—partly because we changed the tires at the right moment.” For a long time, Lewis Hamilton looked like the sure world champion until Williams driver Nicholas Latifi had an accident shortly before the end.
At the time, race director Michael Masi ordered that only the lapped cars between Hamilton and Verstappen should lap back to give enough time for a restart. If all the cars on the track had been allowed to lap back, the final would have ended behind the safety car. But as it was, the race could be restarted. Max Verstappen took the lead from Hamilton on the last lap, securing his first world championship title. “At Mercedes, it’s still deeply ingrained that this world championship was lost,” says Marko.