Red Bull senior motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has found his voice again, as the 80-year-old reportedly signed a three-year extension contract with the racing outfit earlier this winter. Marko encountered a power struggle with team principal Christian Horner after the death of founder Dietrich Mateschitz.
Apparently, Christian Horner wanted to call the shots and initiated a coup to oust Helmut Marko. However, the rumors were subsequently dismissed by the team principal himself. Meanwhile, another team principal on the F1 grid was recently fired due to unknown reasons. Amid speculations, Red Bull senior official Marko shared his theory on the situation that unfolded behind the scenes.
Helmut Marko Suggests Fame Doomed Ex-Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner
In a shocking turn of events, the US-based racing outfit Haas F1 team fired team principal Guenther Steiner last week with immediate effect. The team official announced that Steiner wouldn’t return as Haas’ team principal in 2024, and Director of Engineering Ayao Komatsu was announced as the replacement. However, bizarre details of the entire incident took the fans by surprise. Some suggest that Guenther asked for more money to ensure smooth workflow within the garage. However, owner Gene Haas was of the opinion that Steiner should rather optimize the available resources. Basically, Gene does not believe that additional financial infusion will change end results. While everyone has a different version of the story, Red Bull senior motorsport advisor Helmut Marko came up with a bizarre theory.
Helmut Marko told an F1 Insider that Guenther Steiner was a victim of the fame generated by Netflix’s F1 documentary titled “Drive To Survive.” The Red Bull senior claims that Steiner wanted to convert his popularity into shares, which Gene Haas disapproved of. “It is also the case in our sport that the team always takes precedence over the individual. Steiner became a victim of his popularity,” said Marko. Guenther Steiner has been associated with the Haas F1 team since its entry into F1 in 2016. However, he rose to fame through Netflix’s documentary on the sport. The fans adored Steiner’s witty and candid demeanor. But at the same time, the ex-team principal also landed in hot water for using foul language and getting into heated debates with drivers. Perhaps Gene Haas wanted to witness a change in atmosphere and thus chose to let go of Guenther Steiner.
Red Bull Reveals RB20’s Launch Date!
The 2024 F1 season is upon us, and ahead of the test run, F1 teams have set dates for the launch of the new challenger. Meanwhile, the defending champions, Red Bull Racing, also revealed the date for the date for RB20 launch. The drink-based outfit will be unveiling the 2024 season challenger on February 15th.
RB20’s launch show has already generated intense anticipation and excitement. The team has set the bar high with an invincible season in 2023. Thus, the expectations will only increase this coming season. Also, Red Bull has had more time than any other team to develop the RB20. That will only add to the expectations.
