Marko: 'First time Honda and Mercedes engines are more or less equal'

According to Helmut Marko, Mercedes is still fully focused on this year's car and not just next year's. Red Bull Racing is said to have made a big step in 2021, which is why it is now so competitive and can compete for the world title.

Focus shifts to 2022

At Newstalk ZB, a New Zealand radio station, Marko is asked if he thinks Mercedes have already put all their focus on the big changes that are going to come in 2022. "That is not true. Because we are also focussing on next years car. It’s one the major changes in the last twenty years and it takes a lot of effort."

"Mercedes is just surprised by the step forwards we have done on the chassis side and especially Honda has done on the engine side. It’s the first time that engine power is more or less equal," Marko continued. After eleven Grands Prix in 2021, Red Bull has won six, five of which were won by Max Verstappen, and Mercedes four. However, the German team is narrowly ahead in both championships.

Midfield will play a bigger role

Incidentally, Marko knows that it's not all about Mercedes and Red Bull in 2021. There are more teams that can fight for the podiums: "The field is getting closer and it means that sometimes you have ten cars within a second. It hasn't always been like that." The 78-year-old Austrian expects the field to only move closer together with the new 2022 regulations.