Tim Tramnitz reveals what it’s really like working with Red Bull’s tough talent boss
Tim Tramnitz has joined the Red Bull Junior Team, putting him under the watchful eye of Helmut Marko – the man famous for his brutal honesty and early morning phone calls.
At just 20 years old, the German driver has a unique perspective on what it’s like to work with Red Bull’s notorious talent scout.
We’ve all heard the stories about Marko calling Max Verstappen before sunrise when he had something to say about the Dutchman’s racing. Verstappen would often think, “I’ll just let it ring and call back later.”
But Tramnitz? He still picks up when Marko calls.
The Formula 3 driver told GPblog he actually has a good relationship with the Austrian motorsport advisor.
“I feel like there are two sides you can always see. The side you see on TV and then of course, it’s a bit different when you speak to him,” Tramnitz explained.
“To me he is quite calm, but if I don’t don’t do a good job, he tells me that I have to improve these areas.”
This straight-talking approach seems to work for the young German.
“He’s very honest with me but I feel like he was always helping me throughout my career. Someone who was very obvious, honest to me and was just saying the truth even if I did a bad job. Just telling it to my face.”
Tramnitz even credits Marko’s direct feedback for one of his best performances.
“Last year, before qualifying at Red Bull Ring, I had a meeting with him and he told me to improve the quali performance and to be more consistent there,” he recalled.
The result? “I think after that, I had my best quali of the year.”
“I feel like he can always kind of talk to me like this, but it’s a very calm and good atmosphere,” the MP Motorsport driver concluded.
