Red Bull Advisor Confirms Future Of AlphaTauri As They Fail To Meet Expectations
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has addressed rumours of the AlphaTauri team being sold. However, has also revealed they are currently failing to meet Red Bull's high expectations for the team.
In the world of Formula 1, rumours and speculations can spread like wildfire. One such rumour caused a stir during the winter tests in Bahrain, claiming that Red Bull could sell its B-Team AlphaTauri or relocate to England due to financial concerns. However, Red Bull advisor, Helmut Marko, is setting the record straight in an interview on the Formel1.de YouTube channel.
The Austrian advisor claims that AlphaTauri is a crucial part of Red Bull's junior programme and that the rumours mixed up facts with imagination.
There was speculation that the Italian team cost too much and that the fashion brand was also struggling, leading to a potential sale or relocation. But Marko denies the notion and insists that AlphaTauri is here to stay.
While Marko acknowledges that AlphaTauri's 9th place in the constructors' championship falls short of Red Bull's expectations, he emphasises that the team's improvement is a top priority. Marko admits:
"The financial losses at AlphaTauri are too high at the same time, neither sporting performance nor financial performance meet Red Bull's requirements. So you have to do something to change that."
Marko reveals that playing through different scenarios, including a move to England, is under consideration. AlphaTauri already has over 100 employees in England, but Marko clarifies that a complete team move is not feasible. He continued:
"It's obvious that you play through different variants, also with England. AlphaTauri already has over 100 employees in England. It's a division between Italy and England, because it's quite simply much easier to find employees in England. But that's why the whole team immediately moves over there, is also an over-interpretation."
The ultimate goal for AlphaTauri in the upcoming 2023 season is to achieve 5th place in the constructors' championship, and a position between 6th and 7th place would still be "acceptable," according to Marko. With that said, reducing costs while striving for success is no easy feat. Team manager Franz Tost has his work cut out for him.
After the first race of the 2023 season, the team are sitting in eighth place in the constructors' standings as both Yuki Tsunoda and Nyck de Vries failed to get points, finishing eleventh and fourteenth, respectively.
As for Tost's job security, Marko assures that a clear plan is in place, and they have spoken to Tost about it. The process will unfold over the course of the season.
"We have spoken to Franz Tost. A clear procedure has been agreed with him on how this will happen over the course of this season."