F1 chief Helmut Marko delivers decisive verdict on 2026 Red Bull SIGNING

Dr. Helmut Marko in the Red Bull-garage in Zandvoort — Photo: © IMAGO

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Red Bull boss delivers decisive verdict on 2026 SIGNING

Helmut Marko provides an update on Red Bull's George Russell pursuit

Originally written by Jay Winter. This version is a translation.

Tuesday 15 October 2024 03:00

Helmut Marko has delivered a decisive verdict in regards to Red Bull's 2026 driver line-up.

Team principal Christian Horner revealed that the team would be considering an out of contract George Russell in 2026, in a bid to poach the Brit from Mercedes.

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Despite previously praising Russell’s performances at Mercedes, Marko has now confirmed that Red Bull will be focusing on nurturing its own talent, rather than pursuing drivers like the young Briton.

In a recent interview with Formel1.de, Marko acknowledged Russell's skill, even suggesting that the 26-year-old may be “on par, if not faster” than his seven-time world champion team-mate, Lewis Hamilton, in qualifying.

"We should focus on our juniors," Marko stated, effectively shutting down the idea of bringing in Russell, who is currently under contract with Mercedes until the end of 2025.

He added that while Russell is "somewhat branded by Mercedes," Red Bull’s commitment is to developing their young drivers and providing opportunities within their established pipeline.

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Red Bull juniors take centre stage

Marko’s latest comments come amid growing attention on the future of Red Bull's driver line-up.

Although team principal Christian Horner had previously hinted that Red Bull might be open to considering drivers outside of their in-house talent pool, Marko has clarified that their focus will remain firmly on the rising stars within the Red Bull Junior Team.

"We want to see what our juniors can do," Marko emphasised.

He highlighted the development of current Red Bull-backed drivers like Yuki Tsunoda, who has been racing for Red Bull’s sister team since 2021.

Tsunoda, along with promising talent Liam Lawson are part of Red Bull’s concerted effort to build a future around their own talent rather than looking externally.

This internal pipeline appears to be the team's primary focus moving forward, as Red Bull aims to foster its next generation of champions.

However, Marko’s latest remarks firmly close that door, at least for now. Russell, currently 19 points behind Hamilton in the drivers’ standings, has consistently outperformed his illustrious team-mate in qualifying throughout the season, but Red Bull seem content to look inward for its future driver choices.

With Russell set to continue as a key figure at Mercedes, especially once Hamilton's contract ends and the highly-touted Kimi Antonelli steps in, any potential move to Red Bull seems increasingly unlikely.

Moreover, as Russell establishes himself further within Mercedes, the notion of a switch to a team where he might once again play second fiddle—this time to Max Verstappen—seems far-fetched.

For now, Red Bull’s message is clear: the team’s focus is on its own junior drivers, and any external talent, no matter how impressive, will have to wait.

Red Bull Lewis Hamilton Mercedes George Russell Helmut Marko