Former Red Bull Motorsport consultant Dr Helmut Marko has called the 2021 Formula 1 season the “toughest year” of his time in the championship.
The 82-year-old left Milton Keynes Dons at the end of 2025 after 20 years. The Austrian has been involved in the series for more than 50 years, having competed in the championship from 1971 to 1972 and founding RSM Marko (later Red Bull Juniors) in 1984.
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Reflecting on his career in an interview F1 InsiderMarko elaborated on why he believes the 2021 season will be his most challenging yet. At the end of that season, Max Verstappen claimed the first of his four titles after a tight battle with seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton.
While the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has gone down in history as one of the most controversial moments in the championship, Marko also pointed out other “toxic” moments from the season.
“2021 has been the hardest year I’ve ever experienced in Formula 1, emotionally, politically, everything,” he said. “Mercedes dominated.
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“Suddenly, Red Bull Racing, with a relatively young driver, challenged everything. There were collisions on the track – the first was at Silverstone, when Hamilton’s front wheel hit Max’s rear wheel and he flew away at over 300km/h.
“But there was also a toxic atmosphere off the track at times. There were political intrigues everywhere. It was really, really tough. Then the final in Abu Dhabi worked in our favor – partly because we changed the tires at the right moment. At Mercedes, the fact that they lost the world championship is still ingrained.”
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB16B
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB16B
Mercedes won the constructors’ title but Hamilton missed out on his eighth drivers’ title. The British driver was leading at the time, with Verstappen close behind in second, but Nicholas Latifi’s safety car was called out due to his crash.
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As the checkered flag approached, Hamilton looked set to take the title. But race director Michael Masi at the time only ordered the cars lapped between Hamilton and Verstappen to unlap themselves to allow enough time to compete again; allowing all cars circling the track to do so would have resulted in the race ending under the safety car.
After the safety car returned to the garage, Verstappen, who was running on new tires, passed Hamilton and won the championship.
Massey’s decision was, and still is, a point of contention among fans and the paddock.
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