Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s renowned advisor, has proposed a bold shift in strategy for Renault’s Formula 1 involvement, advocating for the team to relinquish their racing endeavours and concentrate solely on engine production.
Marko’s suggestion coincides with Alpine’s ongoing struggles, prompting discussions on potential solutions to improve the French outfit’s performance.
Alpine’s recent headlines have been marred by concerns, most notably centred around their engine’s lack of competitiveness.
The revelation that the Renault power unit is approximately 30 horsepower down compared to its rivals has raised eyebrows and triggered debates about potential remedies.
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Alpine’s call for an engine equalisation measure, involving a higher fuel flow rate to close the performance gap, was swiftly met with resistance from Mercedes and Ferrari.
In light of these challenges, Marko has floated the idea of selling the Alpine team to Michael Andretti, a well-known name in motorsport.
Marko expressed his views to Sport1.de, stating, “Andretti should buy the Alpine team…
“That would be best served for everyone.
“Formula 1 would keep its ten teams, Andretti could finally get in, and Renault would still be involved.”
Both Andretti and Renault have encountered resistance from the majority of Formula 1 teams regarding their ambitions.
While many teams oppose the notion of adding an 11th team to the grid, there is also opposition to Renault’s appeals for engine equalisation.
Interestingly, Red Bull stands apart from the opposition, with Marko confirming their willingness to support measures aimed at addressing the engine performance disparities.
Marko clarified, “At least we were not against it when it came to the Renault case…
“But it must be clearly demonstrated that the performance gap is significant.
“And it must be ensured that measures are taken that do not weaken the rest of us.
“The application has therefore been put on hold at the moment.”
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Marko’s comments underscore the multifaceted nature of Alpine’s challenges, extending beyond engine performance to impact car setup and overall driving characteristics.
He acknowledged Alpine’s predicament, noting, “If you are too far behind in performance, you will have to make compromises with the car set-up to compensate for the lack of speed on the straights, which can amount to a loss of up to three-tenths.
“And that comes at the expense of the driving characteristics of the car.”