Helmut Marko on car problems and his future…

      In an interview with Kleine Zeitung, Red Bull consultant Helmut Marko talked about Arvid Lindblad's debut, Max's car problems and his future.…

      Question: There is a lot of talk about Arvid Lindblad, who received a super license at the age of 17. Do you think he's ready for Formula 1?Helmut Marko: He tested in Italy on Monday and will drive during Friday's training session at Silverstone. He is distinguished by his fortitude and self-confidence, and his Swedish-Indian ancestry seems to be very well suited to motorsport.

      Question: Why is there such a rush? Are you preparing the next shift of pilots?Helmut Marko: No, we are preparing in case Max is disqualified due to excessive penalty points. We currently have two reserve drivers, Lindblad and Iwasa, but Ayuma's Formula 1 dates overlap with performances in Japan. In some races, we even signed a contract with another team, once one reserve driver was announced from three teams at once. It's not so easy to find someone in good shape if necessary. And that's why we're preparing Lindblad now.

      Question: Your youth program is working well, and the situation there is even more interesting now than the intense struggle at the top... Helmut Marko: Yes, we have Juan Pablo Montoya's son in Formula 2, and Bulgarian Nikola Tsolov, who won Formula 3 in Monaco. We have a lot of talent in reserve, it's really interesting and corresponds to our motto.: "We don't buy stars, we create them." But in Formula 1, as you said, the fight is really very intense for us this year.

      Question: Why?Helmut Marko: Because for two years we've been seeing the same problems with our car. When cornering, understeer turns into oversteer, which means it has poor rear axle balance and is effective in a very narrow operating range. If the track suits us, like in Jeddah, Suzuka, partly in Imola and Montreal, then everything is fine. But its operating range is very narrow.

      Question: And the team doesn't know how to fix it?Helmut Marko: We are currently receiving new products for Austria, which we will finalize later for Silverstone. But if they don't help, it will be difficult to compete in the championship. It's still very difficult.

      Question: How do you allocate time between the completion of the current machine and the development of a new one for 2026?Helmut Marko: We have a timetable for the use of the wind tunnel and all the instruments. But at some point it will be said: "That's it, the revision is finished."

      There are two reasons for this – the time required to produce new parts and cost constraints. The question is where to direct the resources. I believe that after Silverstone, or at the latest after Spa, a decision will be made to fully focus on the new car.

      Question: How are things going with your own project  Red Bull on engines?Helmut Marko: Mercedes considers itself the favorites, although this has not yet been proven. Only in the field of the internal combustion engine, the progress is incredible – it turned out to be smaller than in my lawn mower!

      The new power plant has three or four important components. This is an internal combustion engine that we are working on. This is a battery – we are starting with a traditional solution, and fuel is a very important factor – development with our partner Exxon is going very well.

      Question: We are currently in Austria – let me ask you: how much is Red Bull Racing an Austrian company, apart from you and Anthem after the victory?Helmut Marko: Thank God we have a national anthem (laughs). Red Bull Racing is one of the Red Bull companies in the field of sports, reporting directly to Oliver Minzlaff in Salzburg. Even if the company is located in England, which is understandable – universities in the vicinity of Oxford study engines and aerodynamics, then the company is to some extent managed from Austria.

      Q: How long will we see you as the head of Red Bull Motorsport at the Red Bull Ring?Helmut Marko: My contract runs until the end of 2026. We are currently focusing on improving our competitiveness. It is important that the team can win again.

      A lot depends on the technique. To have a chance against McLaren, we have to be 100%. But it's not easy, considering that we actually have only one rider. Whoever Max's partner was, since 2016, since Max got behind the wheel, sooner or later they gave in to him.

      Q: How do you see the future of Isaac Hajjar, who has been so convincing for Racing Bulls this year?Helmut Marko: He needs to finish this season first. After the summer break, we will calmly think about everything. We have a contract with Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, which we can extend for a long-term period.

      Question: How satisfied are you with your work overall Racing Bulls?

      Helmut Marko: Racing Bulls has made significant progress with the car. She behaves predictably, not as sensitive to piloting as Red Bull. The progress, results and independence of the Italian team, which reports to Salzburg, are noticeable — the development is going in a positive direction.

      The shareholders clearly state that they will continue to use the young riders. We have no plans to sell the team, even if such rumors sometimes appear. The image — young, bold, cheerful — is a distinctive feature of Red Bull.