Red Bull Backed MotoGP CEO to Replace Chase Carey

With the future of Liberty Media’s Chase Carey up in the air, the question on everyone’s mind is, who will replace him? One name thrown in the ring was Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who’s Mercedes contract is expiring soon. However, Red Bull motorsport advisor Dr Helmut Marko revealed that he urged MotoGP boss Carmelo Ezpeleta to become a candidate.

MotoGP is largely considered Formula One’s two-wheeled counterpart, and 73-year-old Ezpeleta is CEO of Dorna Sports, MotoGP’s commercial rights holder. Marko is of the opinion that Ezpeleta would solve one of F1’s biggest problems, the tyres.

The Red Bull man made some startling claims that Pirelli’s 2019 tyres were mostly attuned to Mercedes. He even dropped hints that Pirelli were handing out preferential treatment towards Mercedes.

Speaking to Speed Week, Red Bull advisor, Marko said, “In MotoGP, this problem would already have been solved,”.

“In Formula 1 we are not required to give any team an advantage. We are committed to the fans to put on the best possible racing.”

Last month, Carmelo Ezpeleta attended the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona where Marko asked him to make a bid to run F1.

“You’re right. I asked him,” Marko confirmed. “The problem is the rules. Carmelo would have never allowed such a set of rules.”

According to the Red Bull man, MotoGP rules are designed to help smaller teams catch up with the factory teams. However, in Formula One, only a “crazy financial effort” can bridge the cap to Mercedes.

The good news for Red Bull is that Honda are pushing hard to catch up with Mercedes and Ferrari.

“First of all, we are very happy with Honda and the reliability,” he said. “We are behind in power, but we’re getting a new engine in Paul Ricard. It is not necessarily the big step — we’ll get that in Monza. But at Honda, they are catching up.

“Do not ask how big the effort is. The test benches in Japan run day and night,” Marko added.

Regarding some damning remarks on F1, Marko revealed that he was simply being honest about problems that exist in F1.

“I don’t understand why I have to defend myself when I address the problem with the tyres,” he said.

“Sure, Red Bull was dominant with Vettel for four years, but never as dominant as Mercedes is now. And when we dominated, we were slowed down during the season by various rule changes.

“First it was the stiffness of the wing, then the diffuser, and the changes were possible during the season. Not today.

“I don’t know if it’s hopeless. Pirelli has already changed the tyres during a season — after Silverstone in 2013 when the tyres were bursting. As I said, I have shown the problem,”.