Helmut Marko says F1 has ‘hit the jackpot’ with Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari success

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Former Red Bull chief Helmut Marko believes Formula 1 has ‘hit the jackpot’ now that Lewis Hamilton has found his feet and is finally succeeding at Ferrari in the current campaign.

The 41-year-old is currently enjoying his most lucrative streak yet with Ferrari, with two P2 finishes in Montreal and Monaco preceding his recent heroics at the Barcelona Grand Prix. Hamilton now sits second in the drivers’ championship, 41 points adrift of Kimi Antonelli.

Your championship standings after the Barcelona GP. How worried should Kimi Antonelli be about Lewis Hamilton?

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What’s more, Ferrari are continuing their aggressive development of the SF-26 for this weekend’s race weekend in Austria, where the Maranello-based team will be the first to utilise their ‘free’ upgrade token from the FIA’s new ADUO measure.

Bringing the performance of their 2026-spec power unit up a notch is understood to be Ferrari’s main goal, and Hamilton, alongside teammate Charles Leclerc, will certainly be able to benefit from a boost in power on the long straights that dominate the Styrian hills.

• READ MORE: Helmut Marko admits Lewis Hamilton was simply ‘better’ than Max Verstappen in one area in 2021

Helmut Marko admits F1 has ‘hit the jackpot’ with Lewis Hamilton’s success at Ferrari

In a recent interview with Kleine Zeitung, Marko was asked for his thoughts on the current state of F1 now that he has been able to see the sport from the perspective of a fan, rather than being there in the moment.

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With his home Grand Prix next up on the calendar, the Austrian executive was initially asked about the changes he has seen in the sport over the last 12 months, to which he replied, “I’m just a regular TV viewer now, like anyone else.

“I’ve also decided against continuing to receive all the data. By and large, the races are pretty good, despite the complicated engine regulations involving energy recovery.”

He is also well aware of the impact that his former team’s old nemesis, Hamilton, has had through his return to full form with Ferrari this year, adding, “For the sport, however, it is naturally a massive win – like hitting the jackpot – if Lewis Hamilton wins with Ferrari.”

However, Dr Marko still has some ideas on how the sport could improve, pointing out the glaring issue that occurred at the recent Monaco Grand Prix. “Cooperation between Liberty and the FIA needs to be even closer and more coordinated,” he added.

“The farce with the penalties in Monaco, for example, that’s a poor rule. While we’re on the subject of football, the goal is always the same size there; the rules are simple and clear. In Formula 1, it’s too complicated.”

• READ MORE: Helmut Marko insists Max Verstappen has now mastered the one skill Lewis Hamilton had over him

Still, the 83-year-old is adamant that he does not miss the busy schedule that comes with being a part of the F1 circus, replying to a question on the matter with, “No, I’ve always said that when I stop, I really do stop.

“I enjoy watching the races on TV; that way you catch every detail. It only dawned on me afterwards just how exhausting all the travelling was. You don’t realise it at all when you’re fully immersed in it.”