Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has reportedly raised concerns about the legality of Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin car. The 79-year-old’s remarks come at a time when several members of the paddock have questioned the striking similarities between Red Bull Racing’s 2022 car and the AMR23.
The concerns emerged after Alonso drove a brilliant race to clinch the final podium spot for his team in the season opener in Bahrain. The Spaniard finished just behind the two Red Bulls of reigning champion Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.
Marko claims three Red Bulls finished on the podium in Bahrain
Aston Martin seemed to have produced an extremely similar car to Red Bull Racing’s 2022 title-winning car after the latter’s aerodynamics chief, Dan Fallows, joined their side.
Fallows has been one of the most important members of the Milton Keynes outfit. He not only helped Red Bull Racing win the Constructors’ Championship last season but also from 2010 to 2013 when four-time champion Sebastian Vettel was in their team.
Helmut Marko is no stranger to Fallow and knows the 49-year-old’s brilliance well. Since Fallows seemingly has used most of the knowledge he received during his time at Red Bull Racing to produce Aston Martin’s 2023 car, Marko believes there is an element of ‘illegality’.
While speaking to Servus TV, Marko said, “It’s true that what Fallows had in his head cannot be erased. Copying the focus is not prohibited, but can you copy in such detail without having documentation of our car?”
The 79-year-old concluded his remarks by stating that there were three Red Bulls on the podium in Bahrain. He said the only difference between the three cars was that Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin had a different engine. Red Bull Racing uses Honda engines, while Aston Martin uses Mercedes’ power unit.
Also Read: Red Bull Taskmaster Helmut Marko Praised Sergio Perez for Breaking Stereotype Against Max Verstappen
Christian Horner and Sergio Perez couldn’t resist digs at Aston Martin
Helmut Marko was not the only person from Red Bull who raised concerns about the AMR23, as Christian Horner and Sergio Perez also could not resist digs at Aston Martin.
Similarly to Marko, Perez also claimed that there were three Red Bulls on the podium in Bahrain rather than two. Meanwhile, Horner hilariously stated, “They say imitation is the biggest form of flattery”. He also added that he was ‘flattered’ to see the resemblance of the AMR23 to their ‘old car.’
While opposition teams may continue to raise concerns about the AMR23, one cannot deny the fantastic work that Aston Martin has done over the winter.
After finishing seventh last season in the Constructors’ Championship, they find themselves in second after the Bahrain GP. The team earned a total of 23 points thanks to Fernando Alonso’s third place and Lance Stroll’s sixth place. Aston Martin is only behind Red Bull Racing, who leads the championship with 43 points.
Also Read: Despite Dan Fallows’ Brilliance; Alpine Boss Confident of Beating Fernando Alonso Led Aston Martin
