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Dr. Helmut Marko in AvD Motorsport Magazine in an interview with F1-Insider.com about the future engine manufacturer, the driver question and Max Verstappen.
Many question marks at Red Bull: Who will drive alongside Max Verstappen in 2021? What will happen for Red Bull after Honda’s withdrawal? How tight is Verstappen in the saddle? Red Bull motorsport consultant Dr. Helmut Marko brings light into the darkness in an interview with F1-Insider.com in AvD Motosport magazine.
Helmut Marko about…
… the future engine partner
Marko openly confirms that the most probable option is to develop an own engine based on the current Honda engine.
Marko: “Provided that the talks are positive, we would prefer to take over Honda’s base and then prepare the engines in Milton Keynes. But that is only possible if there is a development stop from the first race in 2022. We need a decision from the FIA as soon as possible. If that decision is positive, the next step is to reach an agreement with Honda. We have several buildings and halls in Milton Keynes, and we are currently looking into where we could implement this.”
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Why a customer engine makes less sense: “All manufacturers have their own team and build the chassis and the engine in one casting. So we would get something and we would have to build our chassis around it. We would always be faced with a technical solution that we would have to accept. That is why we favor the Honda solution. But it needs some parameters, like a frozen engine regulation from 2022 on.”
(Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
Red Bull believes that they will have a winning engine in the rear by 2022. Marko: “Currently, the difference between engine manufacturers is 15, maximum 20 hp. The Ferrari engine is a little bit further back, but I assume they will catch up soon. In addition, there are discussions about adjusting the engine performance by fuel flow and such parameters. So we are on the right track.”
Good for Red Bull: With Andy Cowell, the Mercedes master engine builder will also be on the market in 2022. “But we’re not there yet,” Marko says, but laughs at F1 insider Ralf Bach’s comment: “We’re gratefully acknowledging the suggestion!”