"It is a little bit strange for a newcomer to make pressure" - Red Bull chief advisor Helmut Marko surprised by Audi's influence on the driver market

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko finds it a little strange that Audi are exerting influence in the driver's market this year despite being a newcomer to F1.

The German manufacturing giants will enter the sport in 2026 by completely taking over operations from Kick Sauber. They have been attracting many high-profile names as potential drivers for the next year and beyond, including Sergio Perez, Carlos Sainz and Nico Hulkenberg.

Speaking with Autosport, Red Bull advisor Marko pointed out that the driver's market has started a bit early in the 2024 season owing to Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari. He said:

“The driver market has exploded in April, and normally no one talks [about it] in April. It is ridiculous, but we won’t jump into this game ourselves. We will wait and see, and only then make the best choice later on.

“I don’t know what is going on. I have heard that Audi is making pressure, but it is a little bit strange for a newcomer to make pressure on the driver market.”

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner also told Sky Sports that they were not getting sucked into the market as of yet despite Perez's contract being up at the end of the season. Horner said:

“The whole driver market seems to be very early this year that everybody seems to be rushing around, and we're only four races into the year. We're not in a huge rush. And, obviously, there's a significant amount of interest in our cars, as you would expect.”

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Sergio Perez gives his take on his contract situation with Red Bull

Sergio Perez stated that he expects to learn about his future in F1 within the next month but pointed out that he was relaxed about the situation due to his experience.

Speaking with Sky Sports, the Mexican said:

“Whatever comes next, I'm really pleased with what I've done in the sport so far and I believe it will be a matter of time.

“The driver market is moving and in the next few weeks, there will be a lot of movement for sure. I expect in a month to really know what I'm doing next year.”

It would be interesting to see who Red Bull goes for to team up with Max Verstappen in the 2025 season. There are several talented contenders, including Carlos Sainz, Fernando Alonso, and Daniel Ricciardo, vying for the opportunity.