Red Bull not signing proposed cost agreement – Marko

Dr Helmut Marko has bad news for the FOTA alliance and the next inter-team resource restriction agreement (RRA).

Red Bull, accused of not sticking to the existing cost-limiting deal, is not signing the new one that is currently on the table.

“It is totally full of holes.  Anyone can simply circumvent the rules.  So we are not signing that,” the team’s consultant Marko is quoted by Bild newspaper.

The paddock pressure on Red Bull is rising, with some rivals complaining loudly that the potential collapse of the FOTA group is a huge risk amid the worsening Eurozone crisis and ahead of the crucial talks over the next Concorde Agreement.

“It’s the same for every team when they are at the top.  But we just have to do what we can to stay there,” insisted Marko.

For instance, off the track in Abu Dhabi, contrary to Red Bull’s real wishes, the highly controversial blown exhaust rules were further tightened ahead of 2012.

The trick was pioneered by the team and said to be a great part of Sebastian Vettel’s dominance this year.

“So, without the exhaust we just have to come up with something new,” said Marko.  “And we’ve got Adrian Newey.”

The Briton is working hard on the dominant RB7’s successor.

“I expect that it will be ready for the first test in Jerez,” said Vettel, referring to the opening 2012 pre-season event in February.

“At the moment we are on schedule,” he added.

© RIF | GMM