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Update | Alguersuari on trauma by Marko: 'I am deeply thankful'

Update | Alguersuari on trauma by Marko: 'I am deeply thankful'

23-09-2022 19:15 Last update: 24-09-2022 07:14
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GPblog.com

Jaime Alguersuari has opened up about the difficult period at Red Bull Racing, admitting that he does not have fond memories of his time at Toro Rosso. He is mainly referring to the criticism he received from advisor Helmut Marko.

Alguersuari was given the chance to prove himself as Sébastien Bourdais' replacement in 2009. Eventually, the Spaniard was with Toro Rosso, Red Bull Racing's training team, through 2011. His best achieved result was a seventh place. At the age of 25, the Spaniard quit motorsport and now goes through life as a DJ. In Spanish El Confidencial he looks back on his time with the Milton Keynes-based team and says he still has nightmares about Marko.

Difficulty with hard culture

It has become clear in recent years that Red Bull can be tough when results are disappointing. Alguersuari has a lot of trouble with this culture. "At Red Bull you didn't live in peace, even with great results. You got more congratulations from your rivals than at the team," he begins his story. He continues: "And we had that feeling from the age of 15. Nothing was enough. And if you look, that's the pattern of Max Verstappen with his father. That's the school of Red Bull. "

Therapy

The 32-year-old Spaniard has turned his back on motorsport for years, but despite that, he admits that he still wakes up with sweat on his forehead from time to time. "I still have very strange dreams from that time when I sleep. I always see Mr Marko angry, beating me up as if I were a child. It'sreally traumatic," Alguersuari says. It took such forms that the Spaniard sought professional help, but to little avail. "Even with therapy and different psychologists, I have not been able to cope with this." He says he woke up crying at times. Fortunately for the Spaniard, he last saw Red Bull's advisor years ago. "I haven't spoken to him since, except when I was a commentator at the BBC, then I greeted him in the paddock, nothing more," he concludes.

Update | Alguersuari puts situation right on social media

Although Alguersuari is strongly critical of the former collaboration with Marko, he stressed on social media that he also greatly appreciated the Austrian for his work done. According to him, a wrong image has therefore been created.

"I am deeply thankful to have met him when I was 15", he begins. "Helmut was my teacher and someone who always asked me to deliver to push and boost myself forward and beyond. This is the Junior team system and it works."