F1 News
Date: 10/January/2013
Red Bull F1 team advisor Dr.
Helmut Marko has accused Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso of being ‘constantly
involved in politics’ - and claimed that his own driver Mark Webber has
‘trouble with the pressure’ as his Championship chances increase.
Marko, whose star driver Sebastian
Vettel narrowly beat Alonso to claim his third successive F1 crown in 2012,
made the comments to Red Bull’s own Red
Bulletin magazine.
"Sebastian's driving was
virtually flawless,” Marko said. “But he is a phenomenon: it is always like
that. After the summer break, his performance curve shoots up. That's what
happened in previous years, too. I don't know how he does it, but to keep doing
it cannot be a coincidence.
"That brings us back to his
method of preparation, the way he shuts himself off from the rest of the world,
so that he can still call on reserves that other drivers might not have:
Fernando Alonso, for example, who is busy with politics and funny comments.
"Vettel ignores it all, he
doesn't read the newspapers, or the internet.
"Alonso is constantly
involved in politics. I believe we saw the stress he was under towards the end
of the season. Saying things like, 'I'm competing against Hamilton, not
Vettel,' and 'I'm up against [Red Bull designer] Newey,' these psychological
skirmishes.
“We said, ‘Just ignore him.'
"
Those words caught the attention
of Alonso himself, whose response on Twitter implied that Red Bull were playing
mind games of their own ahead of 2013:
“I enjoy reading that Red Bull
still think we will be the strongest rival for next year! And this even before
start testing!! Flattered :)”
Meanwhile Marko also dismissed
comments by triple F1 Champion Jackie Stewart that Vettel should move to
another team in order to prove himself.
“This is said by someone who
scored all his greatest successes in just one team, Tyrrell. I can't take it
seriously,” said Marko.
But it wasn’t only those outside
of Red Bull on the receiving end of criticism from the 69-year-old Austrian -
regarded as Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz’s right-hand man - with Vettel’s
own team-mate Mark Webber also under fire.
Marko said: "It seems to me
that Webber has on average two races per year where he is unbeatable, but he
can't maintain this form throughout the year, and as soon as his prospects
start to look good in the world championship, he has a little trouble with the
pressure that this creates.
"In comparison with Seb's
rising form [as the season goes on], it seems to me that Mark's form somehow
flattens out. Then, if some technical mishap occurs, like with the alternator
for example, he falls relatively easily into a downward spiral.”
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