The Red Bull at the start of the 2024 F1 World Championship is a paradox: the triumphs in succession every time the engines are started – even today the RB20 is the big favorite for the victory in the Saudi Arabian GP in Jeddah, starting at 6.00 pm – are the counteract the evidence of a deep crack inside the box. Thus, while Max Verstappen’s fans were preparing to celebrate the Dutchman’s second pole position of the season, Helmut Marko was immortalized while sadly leaving the paddock: well ahead of the traditional timing and a few minutes after declaring on Austrian TV that he risked being suspended from his role as a consultant in the company. Yet another episode of a soap opera that makes the surprise twist its stylistic signature.
MAX DEFENDS MARKO
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Except that, in this context, a non-negligible detail is added: the 81-year-old Marko was the discoverer of Verstappen, the gray eminence who hired him very young (burning out the competition from Toto Wolff’s Mercedes) and launched him in Formula 1 while still a minor, later architecting the sensational transition from Toro Rosso to Red Bull in 2016. For this reason Max considers him a mentor, a putative father. It is therefore no surprise that, when asked about the possible suspension of the former Austrian driver and manager, the world champion had strong words in support of him after the checkered flag in qualifying: “It is very important that he stays in the team. If such an important pillar were to collapse, it would not be a good thing for my situation at all. So, as far as I’m concerned, Helmut must stay, of course.”
LOYAL MANAGER
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Phrases certainly not uttered by chance, especially at a time when there is nothing but talk of the rift in the Red Bull garage relating to the permanence of team principal Christian Horner, and of how Mercedes is on the sidelines to attempt the coup and replace the starting Hamilton with Super Max. “My loyalty towards Marko – added Verstappen, quoted by the BBC – is enormous. I have always expressed to everyone within the team, and even at the top, that he is a very important part of my decisions. Also for my future in the team. He built all this together with Dietrich (Mateschitz, the great boss who passed away in autumn 2022, ed.) from day one and was always loyal to Red Bull and the people who worked here, in order to make sure that everyone remained in team. I think it is also very important to give this man the respect he deserves for what he has done. It is also a question of loyalty and integrity.” It’s hard to think that it ended here.
2024-03-09 10:22:15
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