Red Bull has had a brilliant start to the 2023 Formula 1 season as they have continued their sheer domination from the previous season by winning every race this year. As things stand, it can be expected that no team would be able to catch up with them by the end of the season. However, Red Bull chief advisor Helmut Marko believes that it is not their fault, and instead, the onus is on the opposition, especially on Ferrari, to catch up.
However, people in the paddock and fans are not too pleased with one side dominating the sport. Seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton has spoken about how Formula 1 would lose viewers if the Red Bull domination continues for years.
The domination has not sat well with the fans as well. One fan exclaimed about how they were going to stop watching the sport because of this Red Bull domination
And this is not a single case. It is part of a group of fans claiming that Formula 1 is becoming too boring because of Red Bull.
Helmut Marko believes that Red Bull’s domination is the opponent’s fault
Helmet Marko has said very clearly that it is the opponent’s responsibility to catch up to them. In an interview with oe24, Marko asked the critics not to blame Red Bull for the shortcomings of their rivals. When asked if Red Bull was destroying F1, Marko replied, “Please don’t blame us for not being able to further develop their car.”
When asked about the upgrades that Mercedes could not bring to Imola, Marko doubted that the upgrades would make much difference. He said, “Maybe they’ll ignite a super rocket. But it would be a huge leap if they made it to our level.”
Marko had also responded previously to Mercedes’ demands to change the regulations to stop the Red Bull domination. He had said that Mercedes mustn’t play any manipulative tricks to try and convince the FIA to change the regulations. He found it weird that all the teams, especially Mercedes, are moaning.
Mercedes’ domination lasted for eight years
Helmet Marko had pointed out that Mercedes had also enjoyed a similar kind of domination just a few years ago. “For years, Mercedes had the superior engine and they were much further ahead of the competition than we are now. And then when you deliver a flop of a car two years in a row, you might be wise to focus on that.”
Mercedes used to be way ahead of the field during the turbo-hybrid era that began in 2014. The Silver Arrows won eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships from 2014 to 2021. Their superiority was finally challenged when Max Verstappen managed to win the 2021 Drivers’ Championship, albeit under controversial circumstances.
