Red Bull not questioning Ferrari legality

Dr Helmut Marko says Red Bull is not joining those who are pointing fingers of suspicion at Ferrari.

For the first time in the 'power unit' era, Ferrari is now clearly ahead of Mercedes with its F1 engine.


It is believed the Italian team has devised a clever but controversial system to get more electrical power than expected out of its hybrid elements.

Mercedes is sceptical.

"I'm not saying that it's true, but if someone was prepared to risk their reputation, then there is very little possibility of policing this," said boss Toto Wolff.

"It's a highly complex technology. So with all the scepticism and paranoia that exists in formula one, we have to trust the integrity of people and organisations, and we do that.

"We trust the FIA and we trust our competitors, because that is the only way we can compete on a Sunday," he added.

But Red Bull's Marko raises his eyebrows not at Ferrari, but at the suspicions being cast on the Italian team by Mercedes.

"Mercedes had the best engine for four years, but now Ferrari does," he told Auto Bild.

"They should accept that and not wash their dirty clothes. At Red Bull, we do not participate in these rumours. We know what Sebastian (Vettel) can do, including in engine development.

"He has made sure that Ferrari overtook Mercedes," Marko added.

"Now Mercedes always needs luck to win," he said. "If everything goes normally, Ferrari is ahead."

Replies (5)

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  • "They should accept that and not wash their dirty clothes. At Red Bull, we do not participate in these rumors"

    Says the team that has been openly insulting their engine supplier for the last 3 years. Blaming them squarely for everything. Insulting their integrity and professionalism.

    • + 0
    • Jul 26 2018 - 15:29
    • RB being pissed off on Renault is a different thing though innit? And RB has in all fairness not been as much at the whole legality thing as Mercedes has been on Ferrari constantly as of 2017 and onward.

      • + 0
      • Jul 26 2018 - 17:08
    • Hombibi

      Posts: 137

      Not questioning the legality of a competitors engine by Red Bull has nothing to do with the relation between Red Bull and Renault. Or how do you relate the two? Or why do you bring that up at all here? It is a different discussion and your accusation -blaming them squarelyfor "everything" - is pretty much nonsense isn't it?

      • + 0
      • Jul 27 2018 - 09:12
  • f1ski

    Posts: 726

    Good for Helmut Marko. Mercedes helped write the rule book
    On the power unit. Clearly they had an idea of how to best utilize this power where Renault and Ferrari did not. The token rule eliminated anyone being able to come close. Now that development is open Ferrari has surpassed them . Pound sand mb

    • + 0
    • Jul 26 2018 - 22:12
  • Seems like standard F1 business practice. I would probably question the legality of it too if I was a team boss, not because I thought it was illegal, but because there might be a chance it is. It doesn't hurt anything to question it and may actually help if it's found to be illegal.

    • + 0
    • Jul 29 2018 - 19:42

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