Red Bull advisor, Helmut Marko, is not happy with AlphaTauri’s performance in 2022. The Red Bull sister team took huge steps backwards in 2022 compared to 2021 when they scored their highest season points tally of 142. Marko has suggested that something may need to change at the team to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
AlphaTauri slipped to P9 in the Constructors’ in 2022 with only 35 points, barely ahead of Williams. Which compared to Red Bull, who comfortably continued to perform well past 2022, and the shared resources both teams have, what’s going on at AlphaTauri?
Marko spoke to Auto Motor und Sport, and said while everything was stable at Red Bull, AlphaTauri might require changes.
“Everything remains calm for us,” said Marko. “There have been initial talks with our new boss [following the passing of Dietrich Mateschitz], Mr Mintzlaff, and there is agreement that it would not make sense to restructure a successful package like Red Bull Racing. Where there is a need is AlphaTauri. That was not satisfactory last year.”
When asked what needed to be changed at AlphaTauri, Marko said, “I would say they have been beaten below value. The ninth place is not acceptable for the potential, both technically and financially. They made a lot of mistakes in the strategy. The car had too little downforce. At the moment we are taking stock and looking at which screws you have to turn.”
Marko sees AlphaTauri as an important part of Red Bull “Not only because of the profitability. Two teams mean duplicate information. This is also an important factor in terms of development and reliability. Two teams solve the problems faster.”
AlphaTauri themselves know something is wrong and have announced that they will be introducing a new concept for the AT04 that might be the best they’ve ever had, according to former AlphaTauri driver, Pierre Gasly.
“They tell me that their next year’s car is the best one they have ever had, and they’re going to be fighting at the front!” said Gasly but added that everybody in the paddock says that about their car and “God knows what’s going to happen.”
If the new concept doesn’t at least push the team back to the top of the midfield, heads will roll. Whose head is anyone’s guess.
