Red Bull Taskmaster Helmut Marko Changes His Tune to Sympathize With Mercedes’ German Plight

In recent years, Formula 1 has truly become a global phenomenon. Even before Liberty Media bought F1 out, the sport had a massive fan following. However, since the Liberty Media takeover in 2017 and the advent of Netflix’s Drive to Survive series, the stock of the sport has meteorically risen. That being said, there still remains a surprising and alarming amount of disparity when it comes to reach and coverage across the globe.

You’d expect that with the likes of Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel dotting the sport with their great legacies, F1 in Germany would be huge. However, nothing could be farther away from the truth. In reality, the absence of the Vettel and Schumacher names from the sport in the forthcoming seasons may have spelled even more danger for F1’s outreach in Germany. A prime example of this is the plight German broadcaster RTL finds itself in.

According to Formulapassion.it, RTL has lost its license to broadcast F1 in Germany. After failed negotiations with Sky, who demanded a whopping $10.9 million per race, RTL will not broadcast the sport. Earlier, it had the rights of broadcasting only 4 races in a season. However, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has a simple solution to this. But he needs help from the Silver Arrows.

He was quoted by Sport1 as saying, “It’s incredible what is happening in Germany. In Austria, it is exactly the opposite. Formula 1 is experiencing a real boom, like never before. The Red Bull team is seen as the Austrian national team and as a result the whole country is rooting for them. This is why I even hope that Mercedes will be strong again, so that the Germans identify with Mercedes.” [translated using Google]

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Even though Marko wants a tougher challenge from Mercedes in 2023, he isn’t too worried about the tides turning anytime soon.

Helmut Marko counting on 2022 Red Bull success for a 2023 repeat

It’s no secret that, at least on paper, Red Bull find themselves at a disadvantage compared to their rivals going into the 2023 season. The aero-testing penalty imposed by the FIA for their cost-cap breach isn’t going to do them any favors. However, according to Helmut Marko, what the team did in building the RB18 may have just saved their faces in 2023.

He told ServusTV, “We are of course sitting with this reduction of hours in the wind tunnel. That means we have to work very efficiently as a team. All the things we try out have to hit the mark immediately. But fortunately the technical changes for next year are not that big. It means we have a good basic package.”

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Can Red Bull defend their crown in 2023?