Marko keen to avoid 'surprises' in Red Bull 2022 budget cap

Marko keen to avoid budget cap 'surprises'

Red Bull faced an off-track controversy in 2022 when it was confirmed in October that the team had breached the 2021 cost cap, for which they were ordered to pay a $7 million fine along with having to forfeit 10 per cent of their aerodynamic development allowance.

Marko is relieved that the outfit's recent celebrations do not fall under the cost cap, and remains keen to have the figures confirmed earlier this year.

"Then [after the Milton Keynes event] we had our Christmas party in London. That doesn't count in the budget cap," he said.

"According to our calculations, we are well below it this year, but we want to have that confirmed early enough so that we don't have any surprises like last year."

How do Red Bull's championships compare?

Verstappen's title victory in 2022 marked the sixth Drivers' Championship win for Red Bull, while the Constructors' crown was the fifth for the team.

In terms of where each success ranks for him personally, Marko reflects on three seasons in particular.

"The first title in 2010 was certainly the most exciting in the sense that it was decided in the last race and there were three candidates to choose from," the Austrian explained.

"And because it was the first for us and [Sebastian] Vettel, it deserves a special place emotionally.

"The 2021 championship, which was won in a real thriller against [Lewis] Hamilton, was the toughest in terms of the psychological burden.

"This time, the aplomb with which Verstappen pulled off some of his wins, especially the Spa one, left a lasting impression."