Helmut Marko feels that Toto Wolff and Mercedes’ accusations on Red Bull are motivated by the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP finale.
Mercedes and Red Bull have been close rivals for a while now. In 2021, however, they took that rivalry to a whole new level. Their star drivers Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen went toe to toe for the World Title, and it ended up controversially falling in favor of the latter in the last lap of the season finale.
The Abu Dhabi incident ended up angering the entire Mercedes outfit. Red Bull’s chief advisor Helmut Marko feels that Wolff has still not gotten over it. That is why the 50-year-old is so adamant about damaging Red Bull’s reputation, accusing them of exceeding the cost cap.
What’s being said about the cost cap row? 💭 pic.twitter.com/uGJhIeufea
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) October 1, 2022
This is something that has been on the news over the last few days. Two teams are reported to have exceeded the set cost cap, and the media believes Red Bull and Aston Martin to be those teams.
Marko defended the accusations against Red Bull in a recent interview. He also used it as a platform to take a hit at his compatriot, Wolff.
Also read: Max Verstappen tells rivals to shut up over $7 million F1 budget cap breach drama
Red Bull chief accuses Toto Wolff of having biased inside sources in the FIA
Red Bull’s team principal Christian Horner was also not happy with Wolff and Mercedes for making direct accusations aimed at them. He lashed out at a reporter ahead of the Singapore GP who asked him why they were unhappy.
Marko on the other hand, went on to suggest that this was Wolff’s way of hitting back at them for the controversy in Abu Dhabi last December. Leading up to the Singapore GP on Sunday, the 78-year-old took a dig at the Mercedes boss.
“It’s a massive damage to reputation. Abu Dhabi is long gone. It’s a bit strange that you still haven’t gotten over it,” teases Marko in an interview with ‘ORF’. https://t.co/wBvTAxaZXT
— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) October 2, 2022
“It’s a massive damage to reputation,” he said in an interview with ORF. “Abu Dhabi is long gone. It’s a bit strange that you still haven’t gotten over it.”
“It is more than surprising how Toto Wolff came up with these numbers. He speaks of a massive overrun. There must be impermeability somewhere at the FIA.”
Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher revealed that Marko was actually talking about Shaila-Ann Rao, who is a friend of Wolff’s and the general secretary for motorsport at the FIA.
Also read: Mercedes fined $25,000 because they were unaware Lewis Hamilton had piercing in Singapore
