MATT KEW & JONATHAN NOBLE
FORMULA 1
The storm engulfing the Red Bull Formula 1 team hierarchy shows little sign of abating, with world champion Max Verstappen very heavily implying that he could quit the squad should advisor Helmut Marko be forced out.
Amid allegations that Marko has been involved in leaking material to the press regarding team principal Christian Horner being accused of inappropriate behaviour by a female employee, the 80-year-old implied that he could be suspended in time for next week’s Australian Grand Prix. That claim was dismissed following an eight-week independent investigation, and the employee has since been suspended.
At last weekend’s Saudi Arabian GP, Marko met with Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff and came away telling people that he would indeed be seeing out the remaining three years of his contract. Asked about the leaks, the Austrian said: “[It] is complete rubbish. I’m glad I can manage to use my mobile phone. I’ve never seen any of these chats.”
The outcome of those talks will seemingly come as good news to Verstappen, who has a deal in place until the end of 2028. Ahead of cruising to victory in Jeddah, he said: “My loyalty [to Marko] is very big, and also I have always expressed this to everyone within the team, everyone high up, that he is an important part in my decision making for all the time in the future as well within the team. So, it is very important he stays within the team, including of course everyone else because it is a whole team effort.”
Horner, who
