“We are moving in the right direction”- Helmut Marko gives progress report on engine freeze negotiations

“We are moving in the right direction”- Helmut Marko gives an insight over engine freeze negotiations pushed by Red Bull amidst power unit problems.

Red Bull has been in a constant struggle to find a replacement of their current power unit, and have pushed F1 to negotiate for the engine freeze by the end of the season, as Red Bull wants to build their own power unit with the help of Honda, and it’s only viable if F1 agrees Red Bull’s demand.

Speaking on the issue Helmut Marko has given an insight into the current dialogue between the authorities and has claimed that the talks are progressing.

“We have got a little bit of time, we have got just under 18 months to get ourselves sorted,” he told Sky F1. “But the more we look, there really only is one option that works and that would be to try and agree to something with Honda where we could take on the IP for the Honda engine.

“But of course that would have to be dependent on the regulations. It would only make sense for an independent engine supplier, as Red Bull would effectively be if there was an engine freeze.

“It would be impossible to fund the kind of developments that currently goes on with these engines. It is absolutely fundamental that there needs to be an engine freeze with these power units until there is an introduction of the new engine,” he said.

Friends and foes in the way

Red Bull’s decision to make F1 announce the engine freeze is absolutely self-centred and that is why rest of the teams are not willing to make it happen, except for Mercedes, who have publically backed Red Bull’s demands.

But at the same time, Red Bull’s needs are justified and reasonable as manufacturing an F1 engine is an expensive and complex task, and without such conditions, it wouldn’t be financially viable for the Austrian side to go ahead.