Red Bull agent Helmut Marko insists Cyril Abiteboul will not join the Milton Keynes team, denying rumors to the contrary.
Abiteboul spent 7 seasons as Managing Director of Renault’s F1 team. Before the renaming to Alpine in 2021, the Frenchman gave up his role as team boss and has been away from the sport ever since.
The 44-year-old was embroiled in a fierce rivalry with Red Bull team boss Christian Horner during his time in Formula 1. Their off-track verbal exchanges have been well documented in the Netflix docuseries Drive to Survive. Because of this, the rumors linking him to joining the team came as a surprise to many.
Red Bull, who have now parted ways with Honda, will soon set up their own powertrain division. To the shock of many, Abiteboul emerged as a putative candidate to head this new program.
Mercedes F1 and Red Bull F1 today reached an agreement on the appointment of Ben Hodgkinson.
Under the terms of this agreement, Ben, who joined Mercedes in August 2001, can join Red Bull Powertrains effective May 24, 2022. pic.twitter.com/8H3Jh9dPQ3
— Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) January 21, 2022
Marko, on the other hand, cleared up these rumors. He called them “nonsense” and insisted the former Caterham team boss was never considered to lead the project.
“I really don’t know where this nonsense comes from,” said Marko. “This is absolute nonsense. Ben Hodgkinson is and will remain the leader of our engine project. We hope that he can start his work as soon as possible.”
Also read: The former F1 driver says Netflix’s Drive to Survive contributed to the controversial end of the 2021 season
Marko expects Red Bull and Mercedes to be hot on their heels again in 2022
The 2021 season was the scene of one of the most exciting championship fights of all time. The years-long battle between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton was decided in the very last lap of the season finale; fall in favor of the former.
With the regulatory changes set to shake up the F1 grid in 2022, many have wondered if Red Bull and Mercedes have what it takes to pick up where they left off. At least Marko seems to think so.
“We had two different development programs in 202, both of which worked,” said the 78-year-old.
“I can only say that we want to defend Max Verstappen’s title and are very well positioned to do so.”
“There is no reason to believe that Mercedes and we are not the favorites again this year. Unless someone found the philosopher’s stone in the new regulations.”
Also read: Jamie Chadwick teams up with the former Red Bull driver in the 2022 Race of Champions
