Helmut Marko insists Red Bull had ‘no other option’ but to...read more

Helmut Marko insists Red Bull had ‘no other option’ but to take major F1 risk

Former Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has defended the team’s decision to build its own Formula 1 power units, insisting the move was unavoidable following Honda’s decision to withdraw from the sport at the end of the 2021 season.

Honda’s exit brought an end to a highly successful seven-year partnership with Red Bull, one that peaked with Max Verstappen’s dramatic maiden drivers’ championship victory in 2021. Although the Japanese manufacturer continued to provide technical assistance in a reduced capacity, its withdrawal as a full works supplier left Red Bull facing a critical crossroads as F1 prepared for sweeping new power unit regulations.

At the time, Red Bull was forced to choose between securing a new engine partner or embarking on the unprecedented step of developing its own power units from scratch. Ultimately, the Milton Keynes-based team opted for the latter, launching Red Bull Powertrains and committing significant financial and technical resources to the ambitious project.

Speaking about the decision, Marko stressed that external options were extremely limited. Rival manufacturers were either unwilling to supply a direct competitor or could not guarantee the level of performance and independence Red Bull required to remain at the front of the grid.

“We carefully evaluated all possible scenarios,” Marko explained. “But once Honda confirmed its exit, it became clear that we had no alternative. Depending on another manufacturer would have meant compromising our competitiveness and our long-term vision.”

The decision was widely viewed as a major gamble, particularly given the complexity of the 2026 power unit regulations, which place a greater emphasis on electrical power, sustainability and advanced software systems. Red Bull, traditionally a chassis-focused team, had never before taken on full responsibility for engine development.

To strengthen the project, Red Bull later announced a high-profile technical partnership with Ford, which will return to Formula 1 as Red Bull Powertrains’ strategic partner from 2026. While Ford will not manufacture the engines, the American automotive giant is expected to contribute expertise in electrification, hybrid technology and software development.

Marko acknowledged that Honda’s subsequent decision to re-engage more seriously with Formula 1 — culminating in a future works partnership with Aston Martin — inevitably raised questions about whether Red Bull’s gamble had been necessary. However, he maintained that decisions in F1 must be made based on certainty, not hindsight.

“In Formula 1, you cannot wait and hope things will change,” Marko said. “At that moment, Honda was leaving, and we had to secure our future. Looking back now, people may say things turned out differently, but we acted on the facts we had.”

Red Bull’s power unit project remains one of the most closely scrutinised developments ahead of the new regulations. Success would cement the team’s status as a fully independent force capable of challenging established engine manufacturers, while failure could significantly impact its competitiveness in the next era of the sport.

For Marko, however, the logic remains simple: without taking the risk, Red Bull’s long-term future at the sharp end of Formula 1 would have been far more uncertain.