F1: Marko flying to Japan for new Honda talks about 2026 (Update)
(GMM) Dr Helmut Marko is planning a trip to Japan to continue “negotiations” with Honda about the 2026 season and beyond.
It comes after advanced talks about a 50 percent buy-out of the dominant Red Bull team were confirmed to have collapsed.
Marko, who is Red Bull’s top Austrian official reporting to owner Dietrich Mateschitz, also ruled out any involvement by Porsche in the team’s new ‘Red Bull Powertrains” subsidiary.
“No, that’s over too,” he told Osterreich newspaper.
“The first engine we developed has already run on the test bench, so we’re doing very well for ourselves there too.”
Currently, although not branded as such, Red Bull’s Honda-based engines are still being supported on a technical and supply basis by the Japanese carmaker.
But a full works return for Honda is now on the cards.
“That is being negotiated,” Marko said. “I will be flying to Tokyo between the Singapore and Suzuka races in early October.”
One rumor is that the Porsche collaboration was ultimately called off because Red Bull’s billionaire owner Mateschitz, 78, is suffering from health problems and could not oversee the talks.
“It had nothing to do with that,” Marko, who also denied that Mateschitz’s son Mark is getting increasingly involved with the F1 team as a result, insisted.
“No,” Marko added. “But Mark is coming to Monza today.”
Although Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc is on pole, Marko thinks victory for runaway world championship leader Max Verstappen is possible even despite his grid penalty.
“Unfortunately, we cannot take the Ferrari anniversary into account if we want to become world champions,” the Austrian smiled.
“The chances of Max winning for the first time in Monza are good. He doesn’t make mistakes and with our bigger wing we slide less than the others. We were the best in race trim.”
Indeed, Dutchman Verstappen could theoretically wrap up his second consecutive drivers’ title next time out in Singapore.
“In terms of the party environment, Singapore wouldn’t be bad at all,” Marko smiled. “But in terms of our engine partner Honda, Suzuka would be even better a week later.”
September 10, 2022
(GMM) Dr Helmut Marko says Red Bull is “in talks with Honda” – but insists the energy drink company’s Formula 1 operations can thrive without an engine partner.
Porsche has followed in Red Bull’s wheel tracks by confirming that negotiations for a 50 percent works partnership for 2026 and beyond have collapsed.
“The two companies have now jointly come to the conclusion that these talks will no longer be continued,” a statement issued by the Volkswagen-owned German carmaker said.
“The premise was always that a partnership would be based on an equal footing, which would include not only an engine partnership but also the team. This could not be achieved.”
Porsche’s focus has reportedly now turned to McLaren or Williams, with the carmaker admitting that the 2026 rules now make F1 “an attractive environment … which will continue to be monitored”.
Red Bull’s Marko says the breakdown of the talks will not be mourned.
“We don’t need anyone at the moment,” he told Austrian radio OE3.
“If it turns out that there are synergies and benefits, then we are open. Now that Porsche’s cancellation has become official, we have received some surprising inquiries.
“We are in talks with Honda,” he revealed.
When asked what went wrong with Porsche, Marko said Red Bull ultimately decided that “neither side” would ultimately have benefitted from a deal.
“Ultimately, Porsche wanted to fill or double-fill every position at Red Bull,” said the 79-year-old. “In other words, they wanted to control almost everything.
“Of course it doesn’t work that way.”
Marko explained that the basis of Red Bull’s current and historical success is “efficiency” – and the new Red Bull Powertrains project will ensure that going forward.
“It became clear as we talked that we would have become too bureaucratic and lost our flexibility as a team.
“As we are now, we are in a good position,” said the Austrian. “We have the fastest driver until 2028. We have Adrian Newey, the best engineer. And we have an engine factory that will be fully operational within 55 weeks.
“The first engine has already fired up. That means we are completely self-sufficient.”
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, meanwhile, said the sport can also afford not to be “afraid” of losing the interest of a great marque like Porsche.
“Today, like never before, we have a mixture of teams, manufacturers and engine suppliers at the highest level. If something changes, we know what to do,” he is quoted by f1-insider.com.