Franz Tost Exposes Red Bull Founder’s Bias Towards Helmut Marko That Negatively Affected Junior Team

In a candid conversation on the ‘F1: Beyond The Grid’ podcast, Franz Tost, the outgoing Team Principal at AlphaTauri (formerly Toro Rosso), has shed light on the intricacies of the strained relationship between Red Bull and its junior team. Tost brings to light the challenges faced by AlphaTauri due to what appears to be Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz‘s favoritism towards Helmut Marko’s choices in driver selections.

Red Bull’s journey to cultivate its own racing talents has been a cornerstone of its Formula 1 success. With the establishment of the young driver development program, the team aimed to train future stars rather than purchasing established names. Helmut Marko, as the sole expert within Red Bull, was entrusted with the task of identifying and nurturing these young talents.

Franz Tost explains how Dietrich Mateschitz often favored Marko’s driver choices over his own

The process of selecting drivers for the junior team came with its own set of challenges. The dynamic nature of Formula 1, coupled with the practice of swapping drivers between Red Bull and Alpha Tauri at will, created a situation where the latter had limited control over their driver choices. This lack of autonomy became a significant concern for Franz Tost.

The tipping point in the relationship between the sister teams, according to Tost, was the perceived bias of Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz towards Helmut Marko’s choices for the senior team. During the podcast, Tost disclosed that, more often than not, Mateschitz sided with Marko regarding the selection of drivers for Red Bull instead of his own.

When asked who got the preferred driver, Tost explained, “First, the young drivers are being selected by Dr. Marco. They do Formula 4, Formula 3, Formula 2. I know all the names, I look to the races, and then you get the picture. And of course, there were sometimes discussions. Helmut wanted the driver, I wanted the driver.”

“Most often he [won that battle], sometimes also me. But we always had a meeting with Mateschitz. But Dietrich, then he was more often on the side of Helmut and then he said, yeah, take this driver, he will do it. And I said to them he will not do it, but I [will] take him. But it’s for nothing. Unfortunately, sometimes this was the case, but this is how it is,” Tost concluded.

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While the inner workings of the Red Bull family were a topic of discussion following the recent Grand Prix in Las Vegas, on the track, the senior team achieved a historic milestone.

Christian Horner couldn’t be happier with Red Bull 1-2 drivers’ championship finish

Red Bull’s Team Principal, Christian Horner, expressed his joy at Sergio Perez‘s stellar performance that secured the team’s 1-2 finish in the drivers’ championship. Checo, starting from P11 on the grid, showed remarkable skill and determination as he navigated his way to the podium, sealing second place in the drivers’ championship.

This achievement marked the first time in Red Bull’s 18-year history that their drivers secured the top two positions in the standings. Max Verstappen‘s earlier clinching of the 2023 championship, coupled with Perez’s outstanding race in Las Vegas, made this a momentous occasion for the team. Christian Horner couldn’t hide his satisfaction, stating, “It’s something as a team we’ve never achieved before. I mean, what more can you ask for from your drivers than first and second in the championship?”

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As Tost steps down from his role, the legacy of his insights and the ongoing saga between Red Bull and Alpha Tauri will linger in the minds of the Formula 1 community. Share your thoughts on this revelation and Red Bull’s historic achievement in the comments below.