Concerns raised over Red Bull's future following Marko's departure

09:28, 14 Dec

byTobia Elia

Juan Pablo Montoya voiced concern for Red Bull’s future following Helmut Marko’s departure.

“The entire structure that was Red Bull no longer exists. You can’t just judge this year’s results, because the full structure was still in place during that time.”

- Juan Pablo Montoya

Appearing on the MontoyAS podcast, the former Colombian driver expressed concern for Red Bull’s future, now that almost all the key figures who helped build the team’s success have departed, regardless of the strong finish to the season.

“The entire structure that was Red Bull no longer exists. You can’t just judge this year’s results, because the full structure was still in place during that time,” he said.

“Now the question is what will happen with a completely new setup — a new car, a new engine, everything. The other engine, the Ford, will also be in the mix next year. What if Red Bull doesn’t get it right? What if Verstappen leaves?”

Photo: Race Pictures

Montoya believes that, ultimately, the focus should be on running the team from a racing perspective rather than purely as a business.

“Part of the decision is that Austria wants to have more control, and from a business perspective, that makes sense — to oversee a bit more of what’s happening in Milton Keynes.

“However, if you’re running a racing team, you’re not running a business. You can’t view it purely as a business. You have to see it as a racing team, where the goal isn’t to make money.”

Vettel caught off guard by Marko's sudden departure from Red Bull

Even the four-time world champion admitted he was very surprised by Marko’s sudden departure from Red Bull, wishing him all the best for the future.

The German was one of the standout talents discovered by the Austrian and the first to bring a Drivers’ Championship to the Milton Keynes team, a feat he repeated three more times.

Here’s how Vettel reacted to Marko’s exit.

GPblog's latest F1 Paddock Update

Want to stay up-to-date with what happens in the F1 paddock? Then GPblog's F1 Paddock Update video is the perfect way to do it. Subscribe to GPblog's YouTube channel and turn on notifications to never miss the latest episodes.