F1 News
Marko: Red Bull should have demanded $24 million after Ferrari investigation
- Bevan Youl
Red Bull Racing advisor Dr Helmut Marko has said that the team should have demanded $24 million in prize money following the FIA investigation into Ferrari’s power unit after a settlement statement was released last week.
Last Friday an announcement was made by the FIA that a settlement had been reached with Ferrari after they concluded the investigation into the legality of their power unit.
Red Bull, alongside all other teams not powered by Ferrari (Haas and Alfa Romeo), released a joint statement on Wednesday demanding clarification over the conclusion of the investigation.
The energy drinks team finished third in the constructors’ championship in 2019 behind Ferrari but Marko feels they should receive the prize money for second had the right punishment been made.
“The conduct of the FIA is the real scandal,” he told Der Speigel.
“We should actually have instructed Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner to demand $24 million in prize money that we would have been awarded for second place in the constructors’ classification, had Ferrari been punished accordingly.”
Mercedes, part of the seven opposing teams, boss Toto Wolff also voiced his displeasure about the situation.
“The whole thing is a huge mess,” said Wolff. “It's not okay what Ferrari did, but even less okay how the FIA handled it. All of the teams are upset.”
The FIA has since responded to the seven teams with a clarification statement into the reasoning for concluding the investigation into Ferrari’s power unit and reaching a settlement.