As a senior advisor, Helmut Marko has played an integral part in the dominance of Red Bull in F1. They were not the most dominant team five years ago. From 2014 to 2021, the turbo-hybrid era belonged to Red Bull’s rival Mercedes. The Austrian outfit did not stand a chance against the Silver Arrows. However, things began to change in 2021 when Max Verstappen managed to beat the then-reigning champion Lewis Hamilton for the Driver’s World Championship. That was the turning point in the grid as ever since that year, Max never really had to look back again. From 2022 to the present day, the Milton Keynes outfit proved that they are the most dominant team in the grid.

They have enjoyed unprecedented success. Last year, Red Bull went on to win 21 out of 22 races, and Verstappen won 19 himself. That’s how dominant the driver and the team have been in the ground effect rules and cost cap era. However, in the last month, the Milton Keynes outfit has not looked as dominant in terms of their performance as they have been in the last three years. Lately, Helmut Marko revealed the issue that’s causing Red Bull’s sudden downfall.

Why Did Red Bull Struggle In The Last Month Performance-Wise?

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Recently, in an interview with oe24, an Austrian website, Helmut Marko pointed out the issues with the “Simulator.” According to the 81-year-old Red Bull advisor, the simulator has not been simulating the kerbs “Correctly.” Clearly, the Milton Keynes outfit has been struggling with the kerb riding issue in the last few races, such as, the Miami GP and the Monaco GP. McLaren’s Lando Norris won in Miami, and the Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc won in his own country’s track. Red Bull could not even have a podium finish in Monaco. As per Marko, the system might be technically advanced. However, it is not “Interpreted or fed correctly.” As a result, the data does not match the on-track performance. Moreover, Mercedes, like their rivals, complained about the correlation issue they have been facing in the last few seasons, too. Additionally, Marko said that fixing the simulator problem won’t be easy.

Moreover, the 81-year-old advisor noted that the team is dealing with the car’s “Certain weaknesses.” Anyway, Marko assured the Austrian outfit’s fans that despite these certain challenges, the team is “Working really hard to fix them.” Nonetheless, rival teams like Ferrari have made it easier for Red Bull to stay on top with their inconsistency. For instance, the Prancing Horse had a disastrous weekend in Montreal. Later, Marko said it is good for his team that the rivals are dealing with inconsistency and losing valuable points. Anyway, in normal racing conditions, Helmut Marko feels Max Verstappen will be far ahead of the rest.

Helmut Marko Says, “The Verstappen Factor Is The Difference”

Max Verstappen Helmut Marko Red Bull Source: PlanetF1
The 81-year-old Red Bull advisor believes that even in crisis situations, the team can always rely on the reigning champion. Marko says, “It’s no one else but Max who has an overview of the race and he knows exactly when to accelerate.” The senior advisor can’t stop praising Verstappen for having the confidence to accelerate “When necessary.”

Moreover, Marko talked about the balance of power in Formula 1. He added that the following three races will show how good the car really is. On top of that, Marko pointed at the races in Silverstone and Spielberg where they expect to know as to where they stand.