Helmut Marko admits that he is keen to have Red Bull's adherence to the 2022 budget cap confirmed early to avoid any "surprises". The team enjoyed a hugely successful season on track, with Max Verstappen claiming a second World Championship while the squad clinched the Constructors' title for the first time since 2013. As such, this feat was marked by Red Bull holding a demo run in their home city of Milton Keynes in December, something that Marko was not present for. "I wasn't at the Milton Keynes celebration," Marko told German publication Auto Motor und Sport . "There was a big show run with everything we have in motorsport. From rally cars to Formula 1, Red Bull is the sporting flagship for Milton Keynes."
Marko keen to avoid budget cap 'surprises'
Red Bull faced an off-track controversy in 2022 when it was confirmed in October that the team had breached the 2021 cost cap, for which they were ordered to pay a $7 million fine along with having to forfeit 10 per cent of their aerodynamic development allowance. Marko is relieved that the outfit's recent celebrations do not fall under the cost cap, and remains keen to have the figures confirmed earlier this year. "Then [after the Milton Keynes event] we had our Christmas party in London. That doesn't count in the budget cap," he said. "According to our calculations, we are well below it this year, but we want to have that confirmed early enough so that we don't have any surprises like last year."
How do Red Bull's championships compare?
Verstappen's title victory in 2022 marked the sixth Drivers' Championship win for Red Bull, while the Constructors' crown was the fifth for the team. In terms of where each success ranks for him personally, Marko reflects on three seasons in particular. "The first title in 2010 was certainly the most exciting in the sense that it was decided in the last race and there were three candidates to choose from," the Austrian explained. "And because it was the first for us and [Sebastian] Vettel, it deserves a special place emotionally. "The 2021 championship, which was won in a real thriller against [Lewis] Hamilton, was the toughest in terms of the psychological burden. "This time, the aplomb with which Verstappen pulled off some of his wins, especially the Spa one, left a lasting impression."
Most read
