For decades, Red Bull<\/a> have now set the standard for teams wanting to coax the next generation of drivers into their cockpits.<\/p>\n One of the main men behind the operation has been Helmut Marko<\/a>, but the advisor is now 82 years old. He won\u2019t be around forever, and soon, the role will be performed by someone else.<\/p>\n Marko opposed the signing of Kimi Raikkonen<\/a> back in 2001, which remains one of the few decisions he has got wrong to this day.<\/p>\n After a spell at Toro Rosso between 2009 and 2011, the youngest F1 driver ever had \u2018trauma\u2019 from Marko<\/a> at the time, over how pressured their environment was. They demand results.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Helmut Marko once created a \u2018mess\u2019 for Red Bull with Renault engines after meetings with Niki Lauda<\/a><\/p>\n One of Marko\u2019s earliest gambles with Red Bull\u2019s junior team \u2013 Toro Rosso, came in 2009 when he had Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari in the car at the end of the season.<\/p>\n They continued as the sport\u2019s youngest driver line-up for 2010, and just four races into the season, disaster would strike.<\/p>\n In practice for the Chinese Grand Prix<\/a>, Buemi\u2019s two front wheels would explode under braking for the hairpin in the final sector. The reason? A suspension failure sheared them off.<\/p>\n Hilariously for fans, the Swiss driver continued to steer into the slide when he went off the track, despite having no wheels in contact with the ground. That\u2019s a natural reaction for any racing driver.<\/p>\n The rest of 2010 wouldn\u2019t be much better for Buemi, who finished 16th in the standings, finishing no higher than eighth in any race.<\/p>\n In 2011, he improved to 15th in the standings and scored seven more points, but was dropped at the end of the campaign. He became Red Bull\u2019s test driver for the next five years and continues to hold a relationship with them today.<\/p>\n He won the second-ever running of Formula E during the 2015-16 season, and still competes in the series today for Jaguar.<\/p>\n Buemi made a Red Bull compromise admission<\/a> in pre-season, predicting that 2025 may be a tough year for Max Verstappen and the team. Six months later, he looks to be right.<\/p>\n![\"Sebastian](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GettyImages-132679717-1024x683.jpg\")
Photo by Peter Fox\/Getty ImagesSebastien Buemi was left \u2018extremely disappointed\u2019 after his wheels flew off at the 2010 Chinese Grand Prix<\/p>\n