From suitcases to slippers
“I haven’t taken a plane since I retired and that in itself is a relief for me”. After an entire life dedicated to racing Helmut Marko at the ripe old age of 82 (he will celebrate 83 in April) he will watch F1 races at home on TV.
“I still have to decide which channel to choose, since I’ve never watched it on TV before”said Marko interviewed by Kleine Zeitung stressing that I am very happy that I no longer have to endure and manage all the stress associated with air travel. “I’m not in withdrawal – he added – I enjoy the relaxation and the fact that I no longer get nervous thinking about whether and how competitive our chassis is.”
Regarding the new F1 rules, Marko had a clear idea of the potential ‘communication’ problem of the 2026 regulations: “Everyone is talking about the new rules. Will Formula 1 lose its charm as a result? First we have to wait and see and give all this a chance. There are those who criticize the fact that it is no longer classic racing, where you press the accelerator and want to take every corner as quickly as possible. Now you have to think about the entire lap and not just the next corner, in order to conserve energy. Of course, this is not Formula 1 in its original sense. However, if the races are exciting and close, the most difficult thing will be to explain to viewers who is currently driving in which mode. The rules are certainly too complicated for that.”
