The 2021 Formula 1 season was absolute chaos for every single fan and also quite exhausting mentally. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton showed no mercy as they battled it out at the season finale in Abu Dhabi, as did their teams Red Bull and Mercedes for the constructors’ title.
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So it was quite difficult for anyone to catch their breath as there was action going on most race weekends. If that had been the case for the spectators, one can only imagine how exhausting it would have been for the individual staff of the two teams fighting for the championship.
Well, here’s dr. Helmut Marko, head of the Red Bull Driver Development Program, who reveals what he has done after a busy season.
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What did Helmut Marko say?
Speaking to F1 Insider, Marko revealed he spent over 10 days in a health clinic in early 2022. Why? Well, he appreciated that it helped him detox his mind and body from all the stress that had accumulated during last year’s F1 campaign.
Max Verstappen from the Netherlands and Red Bull Racing, Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner and Red Bull Racing Team Advisor Dr. Helmut Marko watch in the garage during day two of F1 winter testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
“It was also like a sauna for the soul,” said the Austrian. “Mobile phones were only allowed in the evenings to detox the body and mind from all the stress that accumulates in a year. I highly recommend.”
Marko has a stressful job in hand, managing Red Bull’s junior drivers. As a result, his workload often peaks in the off-season, when most of the contract talks and signings take place.
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Another intense season for Red Bull?
Red Bull have managed to increase their level of performance in 2021 and consequently find a lead to beat the ever-dominant Mercedes for the drivers’ title. But will this be one of those rare occasions when Mercedes lost focus for a season? Or will Red Bull reign until 2022?
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Formula One F1 – Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – December 12, 2021 Red Bull team members celebrate after Max Verstappen won the race and world championship REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah
It certainly looks like the latter scenario! Red Bull have taken a step forward in 2021 and history suggests they are likely to keep pushing forward. And with top-flight drivers like Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez at the wheel, it’s almost obvious that Red Bull’s dominance over Mercedes will continue in 2022.
But what can Mercedes do to stop Red Bull from soaring?
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DIVE DEEPER
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