“Right on schedule,” Helmut Marko claims there is ‘no plan B’ if Red Bull Ford Powertrains fail in 2026

Red Bull at their home in Spielberg, failed to win the race due to a collision between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. Looking into the long-term, Dr. Helmut Marko in an interview revealed there’s no plan B if the Red Bull engine project for 2026 doesn’t work.

Helmut Marko was asked about the rumors of Red Bull engine projects that have problems. Marko dismissed the rumors, he suggested that those who are spreading such stories might have hidden intentions. According to Marko, the project is progressing smoothly and is right on schedule.

Guess who is spreading such rumors. We are right on schedule.

Helmut Marko told oe24

Helmut Marko cleared that there’s no plan B if their engine doesn’t perform as expected. He highlighted that their engine will work well and significantly. Marko pointed out that many factors contribute to engine performance, including fuel quality and battery efficiency. The 81-year-old expressed eagerness about the competition and was confident that Red Bull would be competitive in terms of horsepower. Red Bull has partnered with American behemoth Ford for this project.

There is no such thing as plan B. Our engine has to work or start working. There are so many factors involved, such as the fuel, the battery, etc. It will be exciting to see who will really be at the front. In terms of horsepower, we will definitely be there.

Helmut Marko added

Helmut Marko revealed what went wrong during the Austrian GP

Helmut Marko explained the chain of errors that led Max Verstappen losing his position in the final phase. He stated, It all began with a problematic pit stop that didn’t go smoothly. After that, Verstappen struggled with poor grip on the new set of tires. This loss of grip allowed Lando Norris to close in rapidly within the DRS zone, putting pressure on the Dutchman.

It started with the botched pit stop, then Max suddenly had no grip with the new set of tires. And suddenly Norris was in the DRS area.

Helmut Marko stated

Further, Marko explained there was an issue with the jammed nut in one of the wheels of Verstappen’s car. Despite this setback, Red Bull has executed over 50 pit stops in just around two seconds each, which have often been crucial in deciding race outcomes. The 81-year-old highlighted that he wasn’t blaming anyone for that incident and viewed it as something that they can quickly move past.

A nut was jammed - but that can happen. We made over 50 pit stops in the two-second range, some of which decided between victory and defeat. So I'm not blaming anyone now, it's a quick thing to put aside.

Helmut Marko added

Certainly, Helmut Marko expressed the occurrence of such unfortunate events that might take place in a sport like Formula 1. Team must learn from such mistakes and try to avoid them often in future races. Fans are hoping for a good weekend at the next race in Silverstone for Red Bull and Max Verstappen.

In case you missed it:

• Red Bull needs Max Verstappen more than he needs Milton Keynes
• Lando Norris claims he’s ‘not at the level’ of world champions Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton amidst his growing stature in F1

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