Red Bull F1 News: Axed driver reveals 'threatening' Helmut Marko phone call

Dr. Helmut Marko in Mexico — Photo: © IMAGO

Red Bull

Axed Red Bull driver reveals 'threatening' Helmut Marko phone call

Helmut Marko's harsh words have been revealed before a race

Originally written by Sheona Mountford. This version is a translation.

Sunday 30 March 2025 03:59

Axed Formula 1 driver Jaime Alguersuari has revealed he previously received a 'threatening' phone call from Red Bull chief Helmut Marko.

Red Bull's hierarchy and their driver decisions are well and truly in the spotlight currently after Liam Lawson's demotion back to Racing Bulls despite having only completed two races as Max Verstappen's teammate.

Alguersuari raced in 46 races with Red Bull's sister team Toro Rosso (now Racing Bulls) from 2009 until 2011, and was the youngest ever driver to enter F1 at 19 years old before Max Verstappen broke that record at 17. Ironically, Alguersuari's own chance in F1 came due to a mid-season driver swap, with Sebastian Bourdais having been replaced.

The Spanish driver was also supported by Red Bull throughout his junior career, and in an interview with talkSPORT revealed what it was like to be under Marko’s mentorship.

Marko’s harsh mentoring style revealed

Whilst giving Marko credit for the driver and person he became, Alguersuari also revealed the brutal message Marko delivered to him ahead of the 2008 Formula 3 finale: “I have to say that Helmut Marko made my life, he was my university,"

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“I'm not his friend, but I don't regret that he put so much pressure on me because he made me stronger.

“We didn't have a friendship relationship because we didn't have to, but he put me into that zone.

“That phone call wasn't a support call. It was actually a threatening call. And he actually said, ‘if you don't win the championship, you're out of the program’. So that was the end of my career. And it was a one-minute call - and I won the championship.”

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