Helmut Marko confirms that Max Verstappen is not concerned about the internal tensions within Red Bull regarding the investigation into Christian Horner’s inappropriate behavior.
Helmut Marko, Max Verstappen, and Christian Horner (via IMAGO)
At the beginning of 2024, Red Bull went through a period of turbulence. The team principal, Christian Horner, was accused of misconduct by a staff member in Milton Keynes. After an investigation conducted by Red Bull GmbH, Horner was cleared of any wrongdoing. However, tensions within the team continued to rise during this period. Now, Helmut Marko has revealed how Max Verstappen dealt with this situation.
There were speculations that Horner’s investigation had caused a rift within Red Bull, to the point where Verstappen was considering leaving the team. However, Marko insisted that the Dutch driver simply took a step back and focused on his races at the beginning of the season. The octogenarian praised Verstappen, who won four out of the first five races, for doing an excellent job.
Helmut Marko emphasized the importance of Red Bull putting aside the allegations against Horner. The Red Bull consultant highlighted the need for unity and collaboration within the team as their rivals began to close the gap this season.
There were rumors that Helmut Marko could leave Red Bull due to growing tensions with the team. Recently, Toto Wolff, head of the Mercedes team, admitted to developing a closer relationship with the octogenarian in recent weeks. However, Marko’s current contract with Red Bull extends until 2026.
The octogenarian stated that he is not currently focused on his future. Marko indicated that he will make a decision when the time is right. For now, he is fully dedicated to Max Verstappen and Red Bull.
Max Verstappen strongly supports Helmut Marko. In fact, the three-time world champion’s contract with Red Bull is tied to Marko’s tenure in Milton Keynes. It seems that both Verstappen and Marko will remain at Red Bull in the near future. Fans will be eager to see how things unfold in the coming months.
