Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko reveals that he attempted to recruit a young Lando Norris to the Austrian racing team years ago. At the time, the Brit was just starting his Formula 1 career. However, a deal with Red Bull never materialized. ‘We simply can’t sign everyone,’ Marko states pragmatically.
Helmut Marko, as head of Red Bull’s training program, is the man who finds young talents for the Austrian team. And with success. The 82-year-old Austrian recognized the talent in Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen early on. Both drivers later won multiple world titles for Red Bull. However, they are not the only drivers who were on Marko’s radar. Lando Norris was also a serious candidate to strengthen the Red Bull team.
Negotiations with Norris
“We conducted negotiations with Lando Norris at a very early stage of his career,” the Austrian reveals in the Beyond the Grid podcast. “In the end, we couldn’t bring him in. But I think he would have fit well with us.” Norris ultimately chose McLaren, the British team with which he is seriously competing for the title for the first time in 2025. “We simply can’t sign everyone,” Marko continues. “We are always looking for future champions.”
The advisor’s search has not always been successful in the past. Many of the young drivers that Marko took under his wing did not make it to Formula 1 or could not perform in the premier class. “This was mainly because most of them had talent, but did not really perform seriously or did not have the mental strength that is needed,” the Austrian explains. “They believed that as soon as they move from Formula 2 to Formula 1, life would smile upon them. The opposite is, however, true. The pressure is twice as high and you have to perform every round. So, not many drivers could withstand this pressure.”
