Lewis Hamilton’s unexpected move to Ferrari in 2025 came as a shock to many, including Toto Wolff, his team boss at Mercedes, and Helmut Marko from Red Bull. Marko took the opportunity to criticize Mercedes and suggested that Hamilton’s departure might be due to signs of weakness within the eight-time F1 Constructors’ Champions. In an interview with oe24, Marko expressed his surprise at the Hamilton-to-Ferrari move and speculated that Hamilton may have noticed something about Mercedes’ performance that the public is not yet aware of.
Marko emphasized that Hamilton’s departure will have no impact on Red Bull, even if Max Verstappen is approached to replace him. He saw the move as a weakening of Mercedes, but remained unsure if it would strengthen Ferrari. Marko acknowledged the significant impact of Hamilton’s move, even affecting stock market prices, and welcomed the excitement it brings to the sport.
While Verstappen believes Hamilton’s final season with Mercedes will be awkward, Marko had a different perspective on the situation within the Brackley camp. He noted that in such circumstances, a driver’s focus tends to shift towards their new team, making it difficult for the current team to involve them in any significant developments. Marko concluded that the whole situation is excellent for Formula 1, comparing it to the excitement generated by popular streaming platform Netflix.
It is important to mention that watching Red Bull in 2024 will also be thrilling for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the anticipation surrounding the team’s RB20, which has undergone a dramatic evolution compared to its predecessor, has generated excitement. Secondly, there is the curiosity surrounding Christian Horner’s investigation and its outcome. Whether Horner remains in his position or not, the 2024 season for Red Bull promises to be intriguing.
According to the Source grandprix247.com