Ricciardo's Roar Silences Doubters: Marko's Bold F1 Driver Decision Pays Off
Jul.23 - Rumours are swirling in the Hungaroring paddock that Dr Helmut Marko may step down at the end of 2023.
At the age of 80, the former Formula 1 driver and 1971 Le Mans winner is still at full throttle as a key official in Red Bull's successful F1 program.
It was believed that his current contract ran at least until the end of 2024, but he has recently been linked with a dispute with new Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff, following the death late last year of Dietrich Mateschitz.
When asked about the rumours at the Hungaroring, the Austrian told Sky Deutschland: "I don't know about that.
"My plan is to continue at least until next year - my contract runs in 2024. So I don't know where that's coming from."
Before Hungary, Marko shocked the F1 world with the continuing brutality of Red Bull's driver decisions - by axing Nyck de Vries from the AlphaTauri team with immediate effect.
But as de Vries' successor Daniel Ricciardo outqualified Yuki Tsunoda at the first attempt and powered his car into Q3, Marko says his decision is already justified.
"Daniel's performance was surprisingly strong," Marko said. "There has been a real upswing in the team and they're all smiling again.
"Already on Friday the engineers were almost euphoric about the great feedback they got from Ricciardo," he told Sport1.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said on Saturday that he thinks Ricciardo has been put at AlphaTauri as a "benchmark" as Red Bull contemplates whether to axe Sergio Perez next.
"If Ricciardo wants to come back to us, he has to perform," Marko insisted.
"But the contract with Perez runs until 2024. Perez has to improve but we have told him to just concentrate and not always be looking at Max.
"He just needs to be a little more relaxed."
As for Japanese Tsunoda, who is also regarded as a potential successor for Perez at the top Red Bull team, his chances took a hit with Ricciardo's immediate pace in the sister AlphaTauri.
"I don't care at all," Tsunoda told Viaplay when asked about Ricciardo's pace.
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Slight correction needed to the text ~ " Daniel Ricciardo outqualified Yuki Tsunoda at the first attempt and powered his car into Q3,".
Daniel was eliminated in Q2, finishing 13th fastest. Good start, and certainly better than his predecessor, but no Q3 just yet!
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said on Saturday that he thinks Ricciardo has been put at AlphaTauri as a "benchmark" as Red Bull contemplates whether to axe Sergio Perez next
Smart guy that Wolff fella, it hadn't crosses my mind about replacing Checo , but now he mentions it..........
Laughable that Marko takes/is given credit for the RIC decision. Better to ask Herr Doctor why he hired DEV in the first place.
Still too early to judge RIC's driving against TSU after 1 race.
RIC saying he could have been in the points that's RIC talking things up again.
As an Aussie you just shut up , and do the job, and don't boom yourself up or that's how it used to be with the older generations.
Daniel finished 13th, and probably would have finished in the lower points if he hadn't been caught in the disaster at Turn 1 following the race start, which dropped him to last place!
Interesting that Oscar is quite as a mouse, a lot younger than Daniel, but then again, I suspect he has ice in his veins. Reminds me of Kimi, quiet on the radio, head down, and racing, not talking trash like some drivers do all race.