Niki Lauda’s Untimely Death Could Inspire Red Bull Sacking Helmut Marko Early

Niki Lauda was one of the key figures behind Mercedes establishing itself and becoming successful over the years. However, his death in 2019 affected the team in many ways and the cracks are beginning to appear today, as other teams have jumped Mercedes in terms of performance. Red Bull will now be looking to avoid the same problem with Helmut Marko.

Marko, who is now 80 years old insists that he is fully committed to F1. Still, his old age might put some doubts in the head of the Red Bull management, especially after the company’s former boss and founder Dietrich Mateschitz passed away. Mateschitz was a good friend of Marko’s, but his successor Oliver Mintzlaff is probably not as open-minded.

According to Business F1, Mintzlaff will take Lauda’s demise as a lesson and part ways with Marko before it is too late. This is because the Austrian is extremely vital to the team’s success, and replacing him overnight won’t be possible as the amount of experience he brings in, is invaluable.

Helmut Marko and his Red Bull responsibilities

For almost 20 years now, Marko has been a part of the Red Bull setup. He oversaw the team’s initial stages and helped them grow into the strongest team in Formula 1. Officially, his title has always been that of a ‘chief advisor’ but he also handles the young drivers’ program.

In fact, Business F1 reports that Marko has no official salary or contract with the Milton-Keynes-based outfit either. At the end of the year, Mateschitz used to review Marko’s season-long performance and the two of them decided on a number that suited both parties.

Marko is well past his retirement age currently, and unlike Mateschitz, Mintzlaff won’t keep him at Red Bull for the sake of it. To avoid a downward spiral at Red Bull like the one we are witnessing at Mercedes right now, the 80-year-old’s days in F1 may be numbered.

Mercedes struggled after Niki Lauda’s demise

As reported by Business F1 in the past, life at Mercedes after Lauda has been turbulent. The three-time world champion was a calming figure, who kept things under check and faced adversity with relative ease. After his unfortunate demise, Toto Wolff took complete charge of the team.

Although Wolff is known to be a very successful team principal, reports suggest that employees in Brackley aren’t happy with his leadership skills and frequent outbursts. Some have gone as far as suggesting that without Lauda, the team often looks clueless.

After their last grasp win in the 2021 constructors” championship, Mercedes have been in a slump. They finished third in last year’s standings, with things not looking a whole lot better for the outfit this time either.