Helmut Marko: 2021 F1 season's budget cap leak 'bad' for Red Bull's reputation

F1 Grand Prix of Belgium - Qualifying
Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner talks with Red Bull Racing team consultant Dr Helmut Marko in the garage during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on August 27, 2022 (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has confessed that the ongoing 2021 budget cap talks are not good for the Austrian team's reputation. He specifically pointed out the accusations that his team had exceeded the budget cap possibly heftily.

Marko claimed that the team had nothing to worry about and denied all rumors, saying:

“It’s an ongoing process, there are ongoing discussions where certain points are being clarified. But we’re not too worried at the moment. I just find it amazing that something like this gets public. It’s bad for our reputation.”

When further pressed to comment on the FIA's procedures, he said:

“I cannot comment on the procedure at all. From our point of view, however, we have not exceeded the cost limit.”

The budget cap is an important check in place to ensure a level playing field and sustainability in F1. The FIA has been very particular about teams exceeding their budget cap and various penalties or even expulsions from the standings can be applied to any outfit found guilty of breaching the guidelines.

Further, breaches can too be of many types. They are, however, mostly categorized as "minor" and "material", and both these breaches can be worth a million dollars. Currently, only Red Bull and Aston Martin are believed to have exceeded their spending limits.


Fernando Alonso sees a bright future for the Red Bull-Max Verstappen alliance

Fernando Alonso recently revealed how he feels that Red Bull and Max Verstappen will only get better in the future. After a commanding display in 2021 and 2022, it is indeed highly likely that the Austrian team is entering another era of dominance.

Alonso, a two-time world champion, weighed in on Verstappen's many years ahead of him and said:

“He’s 24 or 25, no? So there’s still a lot in front of him, but I wish him more luck than me because I was also 26 with those stats and still have the same stats at 40! But I’m sure with Red Bull and how things look for the future, he will only get better.”

Verstappen is widely regarded as a Red Bull prodigy and is on a successful streak to pick up his second title soon. If things go his way, the season might end as early as this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix.

Further, the Austrian camp looks intact and ready to take on any challenges. It will surely be a tussle to defeat this team in the coming years.

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Edited by Anurag C