Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko criticizes other Formula 1 teams! According to the 81-year-old Austrian, the competition is ‘too scared’ to put young drivers in the car. While Red Bull has taken the risk with inexperienced drivers in the past, Helmut Marko observes that juniors are being rejected elsewhere.
Marko, the Red Bull advisor, responded in his column for Speedweek to the news that Haas has signed 19-year-old Oliver Bearman. The Formula 2 driver is the first rookie to make his debut next year. “It’s good that juniors are coming into Formula 1, I’m absolutely in favor of that,” writes Helmut Marko. However, he believes there is still more room for fresh blood.
Concerns Over Stagnant Drivers Blocking the Path for Juniors
“I can’t name names, but there are drivers in the field who are stagnating and depending on their mood, perform slightly better or worse,” he continues. Could he be referring to his own driver, Sergio Pérez? The 34-year-old Mexican has indeed been in a significant slump since the Grand Prix in Miami. “The path is being blocked for the juniors,” explains Helmut Marko. “The teams are also simply afraid of young drivers. Of course, they make mistakes, but I’d rather have someone making mistakes than having no hope for the future.”
‘Juniors to Receive More Priority’
Christian Horner recently praised the youngsters in Red Bull’s training program. Isack Hadjar (Formula 2) and Arvid Lindblad (Formula 3) are indeed doing well in their own racing classes. Both Horner and Marko confirm that the juniors will be closely examined during the summer break.
“In the summer, we will thoroughly evaluate the performances of our juniors,” says Helmut Marko. “Despite several setbacks, Hadjar is leading in the F2 standings and Lindblad is shining in Formula 3 by entering and immediately winning two races. Now that 17-year-old drivers are allowed to test with Formula 1 cars, our juniors will certainly receive more priority.”
