Star driver Max Verstappen’s close bond with team advisor Helmut Marko could be crucial to Christian Horner’s future at Red Bull Racing.
If Red Bull has to choose between the three-time world champion and troubled team manager Christian Horner, they are prepared to let go of Max Verstappen.
This is the incredible perspective from within the struggling Formula 1 team. Spice Girl Geri’s husband Horner has been battling for his future for the past six weeks, but it seems like things are starting to change in Red Bull HQ’s favor.
Horner faced accusations of acting inappropriately toward a female coworker. Red Bull’s investigation cleared the 50-year-old of inappropriate behavior, but the story does not end there.
She is so upset with the way the company has handled her that she has hired a new attorney and is filing an appeal against the investigation’s findings, which were made by an unbiased, outside KC whose identity has not been disclosed.
The woman was suspended by the parent company, but they clarify that this was due to doubts about the authenticity of the evidence she provided rather than because she filed a complaint. Horner is continuing to work while getting ready for the Australian Grand Prix.
In Bahrain, things reached a breaking point two weeks ago. Horner’s departure has been openly demanded by Verstappen’s father Jos, and the British player’s longtime team adviser Helmut Marko is also in favor of Horner’s departure because of the breakdown in their relationship.
It was once believed that Horner was receiving special treatment from Thai majority owner Chalerm Yoodivhya, with the backing of Red Bull executives in Austria. We do realize, though, that the other shareholders of the company now support the team principal in light of the investigation’s findings.
Oliver Mintzlaff, the CEO of corporate initiatives like their Formula One teams, and Franz Watzlawick, the CEO of the company’s main energy drink division, are both from Austria. And should they find themselves in a position where they have to decide between Verstappen and Horner, they are ready to call the Dutchman on his bluff. That is the extent of their ardent support.
Sources claim that the company has already informed Raymond Vermeulen, the driver’s manager, that they are ready to drive it if needed. And Marko has worked hard to position himself in case that becomes necessary.
It is understood that the 80-year-old advisor, who also serves as a director of the business, lobbied late in the previous year to have Verstappen’s contract amended to include a “escape clause” that would free the racer from his obligations should Marko depart. It was purportedly carried out without the knowledge of any employees of the parent company or the race team, including Horner.
If Marko were to leave the company, Verstappen has already made a public threat to terminate his contract, which is set to expire in 2028. Furthermore, Verstappen Snr. is “not a liar,” the Dutchman insisted, even though he refrained from openly endorsing his father’s position that Horner ought to be fired.
Red Bull is fervently seeking a resolution to the internal conflict that has consumed them and overshadowed their excellent start to the 2019 Formula One season. It’s understood that this week’s talks between important leaders have gone well and could be the start of a ceasefire.
To guarantee that Verstappen becomes a four-time world champion by the end of this year is the shared objective of the team, Horner, Marko, and Verstappen’s father. Their shared adversary, Mercedes, is an additional motivator for their cooperation, particularly since team manager Toto Wolff has been delighted to stir things up amidst the ongoing crisis at their fierce rivals.
