Red Bull "can't afford" to hire Vettel, says Marko
Helmut Marko insists that there's no room for Sebastian Vettel alongside Max Verstappen at the Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team in 2021 – and says that the German's potential salary requirements would make such a move impossible.
Red Bull’s motorsport boss is adamant that Vettel is a “non-topic” for the team and the parent company.
Vettel, who will be leaving Ferrari at the end of this year, has remained on friendly terms with the Red Bull camp since he left for Ferrari at the end of 2014.
However Marko told Sky Germany earlier this year that a return to Red Bull was unlikely, explaining that his view “for very simple monetary reasons. We can't afford two such top stars.”
At the time Vettel’s availability for 2021 was only theoretical, but now that the four-time world champion is free Marko has not changed his mind.
“My statement was no two ‘Vs’ at Red Bull Racing,” he told Motorsport.com. “That we don't want to afford financially. And we can’t afford it either.”
Marko downplayed Vettel’s suggestion in an official Ferrari statement that money was not a critical issue in his discussions with the Italian team, pointing out that the Maranello still proposed a higher figure than Red Bull would be prepared to pay.
“The amounts Ferrari offered to him and what [Alex] Albon earns in comparison are miles apart.”
Marko admitted that “we are always in contact,” but stressed that Vettel “has been informed that at the moment the situation is fixed with Max as number one driver. We cannot and will not afford two top stars.”
He added: “This is currently a non-topic for us.”
Carlos Sainz remains favourite for the Ferrari seat, with Daniel Ricciardo tipped to replace the Spaniard at McLaren.
The stories behind amazing pictures, Part 1
Remembering F1's first world championship race 70 years on
Van Gisbergen wants Feeney to push him
Shane van Gisbergen wants to feel pushed by his teammate Broc Feeney next season to help Triple Eight get to grips with the new Gen3 cars.
Garcia, Eckes land 2023 NASCAR Truck rides with MHR
McAnally Hilgemann Racing will field a pair of fulltime entries in the NASCAR Truck Series next season with drivers Christian Eckes and Jake Garcia.
IndyCar to run hybrid units with 2.2s, not 2.4s, in 2024
The next-gen IndyCar engine formula, set for introduction in 2024, will now couple hybrid units with 2.2-liter engines rather than increasing capacity to 2.4 liters.
Maserati unveils challenger for its debut Formula E campaign
The Maserati MSG squad has unveiled the livery of its Tipo Folgore car it will race for the first time in Formula E next season.
How Tyrrell’s post-Stewart era descended into a fight to survive
Glory days for Tyrrell became increasingly infrequent after Jackie Stewart’s retirement. But in the latest instalment of his history of the team for Autosport's sister title GP Racing, MAURICE HAMILTON recalls how Ken Tyrrell’s plucky and defiantly small team stayed bold enough to innovate – springing a surprise with F1’s first six-wheeled car
How departing F1 boss Brawn views F1’s new rules - and the future
Multiple-title-winning designer and team boss Ross Brawn is finally leaving Formula 1 after nearly 50 years in motorsport. But he still has plenty of insights on what’s working and what comes next, as he revealed to Motorsport.com in a far-reaching exclusive interview in Abu Dhabi.
The key F1 management call Ferrari must make to avoid more defeat
OPINION: Mattia Binotto’s departure from Ferrari will naturally bring a range of changes across the Formula 1 team. But how the changes shape up and the impact they could have is set to be dictated by a key direction Ferrari’s top dogs will need to pick
The difference between Mercedes’ stumble and the fall of F1 giants
OPINION: Mercedes endured its worst season of the hybrid Formula 1 era, but was mercifully spared its first winless campaign in over a decade late on. It has owned up to the mistakes it made which led to its troubled W13. And while its task to return to title-challenging contention is not small, its 2022 season seems more like a blip than the beginning of a downward spiral.
The physical focus bringing out the best from Esteban Ocon
Esteban Ocon likes to point out he’s the first driver since Lewis Hamilton to emerge from a spell as Fernando Alonso’s teammate with a superior overall points record. While some may disagree, as LUKE SMITH discovered, the 2021 Hungarian GP winner reckons it’s not just luck which has made him France’s pre-eminent Formula 1 driver of the moment…
How Red Bull's dynamic leader Mateschitz shaped its F1 philosophy
The death of Dietrich Mateschitz last month has not only deprived Red Bull of its visionary founder, it has shorn Formula 1 of one of its most influential benefactors. Mateschitz himself was famously media-shy, preferring to let the brand do the talking on his behalf. And, while it’s now normal to speak of Red Bull F1 titles and champions made, Mateschitz never assumed it would be easy or even possible – as ANTHONY ROWLINSON discovered during this previously unpublished interview from 2006…
Can Mercedes break Formula 1's cycle of doom?
OPINION: Teams that have dominated for long periods throughout Formula 1's history often take years to get back to the top of the tree once they've slipped down. But it remains to be seen whether the same will happen to Mercedes after a challenging 2022 season
What hurt Perez most in his ill-fated fight for second in Abu Dhabi
Arguably the favourite in the battle to finish second-best in 2022's Formula 1 standings, Sergio Perez's two-stop strategy at Abu Dhabi couldn't take him ahead of Charles Leclerc when the music stopped - and several key factors ultimately precluded him from the much-coveted runner-up spot.