Known for his controversial opinions, Red Bull Ring Ambassador Helmut Marko has spoken to the media to discuss his opinions on the 2026 season so far.
Surprisingly, Marko’s take on the regulations and Mercedes’ title bid and intra-team rivalry are far from the usual contentious comments he’s become so known for.
Bashing the regulations
The talk of the season so far has been dominated by the regulation changes and people’s disdain for them, flooding the media.
Marko is the latest prominent figure to bash the regulations in the media.
“It’s too complicated and the software plays too dominant a role”, he told Kleine Zeitung.
Marko nodded to the much-discussed discourse about the drivers, saying: “The mood among the drivers is negative.”
He decided that changes need to be made “now” but also acknowledged that these changes won’t come quickly enough.
“I don’t know if it can be rectified in a single season. Something has to be done, and driving skill must be brought back to the fore,” he added.
Concluding that the unprecedented break is a good thing, as the FIA must use the time to “do everything in its power” to improve the regulations, a sentiment shared by most.
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The Mercedes title fight
As Mercedes has been the dominant team so far this season, Marko believes that they will clinch the constructors’ title, and the drivers’ title will be a battle between only the Mercedes duo.
“The world championship will surely be decided between the two Mercedes drivers”.
Marko was the long-standing head of the Red Bull Junior Driver program and is known for his ability to spot young talent, so his comments on young Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli are regarded as sound opinion.
Speaking to Austrian media ORF, Marko praised Antonelli’s demeanour and recent uptick in form but questioned whether he could keep this up over the course of a season.
“His whole demeanour is refreshing,” he said.
“He was already incredibly fast everywhere in the junior categories, and it’s good to see a young driver like that coming up.
“The question is whether he can maintain that speed and performance over the course of the season. Russell is certainly the more experienced driver, and last year, once the races moved to Europe, Antonelli suffered a significant slump.”
Finally praising this title fight as looking “exciting”, Marko joins the majority of the F1 fandom in their opinions, a rarity for Marko.
In a season defined by uncertainty and shifting dynamics, Marko’s measured takes signals that while the regulations may be under fire, F1’s on-track drama, led by Mercedes, remains as compelling as ever.
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