P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Red Bull reveal Wolff block after ‘handshake deal’ with Mercedes
Helmut Marko recently disclosed that Red Bull came very close to switching to Mercedes engines instead of Renault in the past. The turbo-hybrid era of 2014 saw Mercedes dominate while Renault struggled. Despite Daniel Ricciardo’s wins and a strong finish for Red Bull in 2014, tensions with Renault led to change.
Initially considering partnering with Mercedes, a deal was almost struck with Niki Lauda, but it fell through due to opposition from Toto Wolff. Red Bull then turned to Honda in 2019 after a rough spell with Renault/TAG Heuer engines.
Red Bull’s faith in Honda paid off, leading to Max Verstappen’s drivers’ championship win in 2021, followed by constructor’s titles in 2022 and 2023. Marko’s bold decision to trust Honda, despite their prior struggles, ultimately transformed Red Bull’s F1 fortunes.
