In the annals of motorsport, few stories encapsulate the mix of ambition, ingenuity, and controversy quite like this one. Long before Dr. Helmut Marko became the architect behind Red Bull Racing’s dominance in Formula 1, he was stirring the pot in another prestigious racing series: the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM).
The year was 1988. Dr. Marko was running his own DTM team, fielding a pair of Mercedes-Benz 190Es. The cars were driven by Jörg van Ommen, a capable wheelman rivaling the factory-backed squads, and Franz Klammer, the legendary skier-turned-racer. For a privateer operation, the results were stellar. Van Ommen was pushing the works Mercedes team hard, earning admiration — and perhaps some resentment from the Mercedes-Benz factory team.
Behind the scenes, Mercedes-Benz was preparing to launch a game-changing evolution of its 190E race car for the 1989 season. Dubbed the 2.5L EVO1, the upgrade featured a larger, more powerful engine and significant aerodynamic enhancements. It was designed to take the fight to BMW, and anyone else daring to challenge Mercedes’ dominance.
But Marko wasn’t one to sit back and wait for an official upgrade. Using his extensive motorsport connections, he acquired the necessary components to create his own EVO1 ahead of schedule. While Mercedes was still putting the finishing touches on its factory cars, Marko’s team had already unleashed its self-built EVO1 on the grid.
Mercedes was not amused. Despite Marko’s ingenuity, the manufacturer flexed its muscle, forcing him to revert to the older 2.3L specification for the remainder of the 1989 season. The decision reportedly left Marko fuming. He finished the season but departed the DTM at the end of the year, his relationship with Mercedes-Benz permanently soured.
Today, the fallout from that season feels like a distant memory, but some suggest it sowed the seeds of a rivalry that endures in Formula 1. Dr. Marko’s Red Bull Racing team has clashed with Mercedes-Benz in some of the most intense battles the sport has ever seen. Could the rejection of Marko’s rogue 2.5L EVO1 have fueled his competitive fire?
While no official records explicitly confirm this tale, the legend lives on, adding another layer to the mystique of Marko’s career. His rogue Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5L EVO1 remains a symbol of rebellion — a car that dared to challenge the status quo and upset the powers that be.
