Formula One is remarkably stable in the modern era, with drivers and senior team personnel continuing with their respective teams far longer than was the historical norm. Lewis Hamilton will complete thirteen years with Mercedes when his newly signed contract expires at the end of the 2025 season.

Red Bull’s junior team which was bought when racing under the Minardi banner retained the same team principal for eighteen years before it was decided fresh blood was required to replace the ageing Franz Tost.

 

 

 

Marko with Red Bull longer than Horner

Yet there is one enigmatic character within the Red Bull wider family who has survived even longer than Tost having formalised  his relationship with the founder of the organisation back in 1999.

Since then Dr. Helmut Marko has steered the Red Bull driver development programme which unearthed the likes of Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz Jnr, Pierre Gasly and of course ax Verstappen who all currently race in Formula One.

Marko was appointed “advisor” to the Red Bull Racing team in 2005 and a year later extended this role into the Scuderia Toro Rosso team though at times his exact responsibilities appear somewhat murky.

Helmut has always retained his outspoke characteristics often saying what others dare not and his reputation for not suffering fools gladly is well known within the paddock.

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Horner did not want Nyck de Vries

However, since the death of Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz questions have emerged over the 80 year old Austrian’s future within the organisation and easier this season it was clear there was a rift between Marko and Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.

Having been given his opportunity alongside Max Verstappen and failed, Pierre Gasly was finally released at the end of last season to pursue a career with Alpine. Marko was keen to replace him with Nyck de Vries who had acquitted himself remarkably when he stood in for the appendix stricken Alex Albon at the 2022 Italian Grand Prix.

Dr. Marko appears to have forced his choice on Red Bull boss Christian Horner who at the time was considering re-hiring the soon to be free agent Daniel Ricciardo, following his sacking from McLaren.

In the end Marko got his way de Vries joined Yuki Tsunoda and Ricciardo became the reserve driver for both Red Bull and AlphaTauri. However behind the scenes something clearly had been agreed with the likeable Aussie as he stated “I’ve served my time” following his dismissal from McLaren and let it be known he would only return to F1 if offered a competitive race seat with a top team.

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Marko reveals disagreements

De Vries began the year as expected but failed to fulfil th role of “team leader” that Marko had outlined for him. Then after just ten races this season, the young dutch driver was sacked from AlphTauri despite Franz Tost repeatedly claiming it took “3 years” for a driver to fully establish themselves in F1.

With Ricciardo having tested for Red Bull and posted impressive lap times, Christian Horner seized the opportunity to return to his plan A and quickly it was announced that Ricciardo would be the  new AlphaTauri driver.

The tensions which had developed between Marko and Horner came into the light when the Austrian was asked if disagreements occurred within the Red Bull management.

“Not often, but sometimes we do,” replied Marko. “The last one… I would say de Vries. Basically it’s AlphaTauri, but we’re a big family and we get opinions. He [Horner] was not a fan of De Vries. I would say at the moment it looks like he was right.”

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Fake racist claims uproar

Horner then sought to distance himself from the Austrian following his comments some races later about Sergio Perez. During a poor run of form Marko had been asked why Perez in the same car couldn’t deliver the results like Max Verstappen.

“He is South American and that’s why his head is not as focused as Max Verstappen‘s or Sebastian Vettel‘s was,” Marko declared.

The media were all over Marko and even Lewis Hamilton had his say on the alleged “racist” comment the Austrian had made. 

Amusingly Perez’s home country of Mexico is not part of South America which made the entire fuss look silly. Further South America is not a country nor does it define a single race, so describing Marko’s comments as racist was facile.

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Horner distances himself from Marko

Red Bull Racing refused to publish a statement over the issue and of course were hounded by the paddock media until Christian Horner relented.

“Obviously from Helmut’s perspective he’s apologised,” Horner told Sky F1. “He’s not an employee of Red Bull Racing so in terms of why didn’t we put out a statement, he’s part of the Red Bull wider group and the group obviously issued that apology through the Servus TV channel.”

Yet Horner felt it important to now address the growing claims of a huge rift between himself and Mateschitz’s long time friend. Its was believed the Red Bull team boss was pressing for Marko to be retired at the end of his current contract which runs to th eend of 2024.

“We’ve always enjoyed a very strong and open relationship, [and] of course, there are things that we disagree on now and again, but I think that’s healthy,” Horner explained to the Daily Mirror.

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Rumours of Red Bull rift dismissed

“We speak very regularly about all aspects. For Helmut, it’s slightly different to how it used to be since the passing of his friend and colleague Dietrich [Mateschitz] but he still has a very valuable role that he plays within the team and there is absolutely no intent or desire from me, or anyone within the team, to see that change.

“For as long as he wants to continue – he’s still a very spritely 80-year-old – I don’t see any change in the way that we work.”

This was some admission from Christian given clearly Marko has an element of power, as proven when he forced the recruitment of De Vries on the Red Bull boss.

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Marko here to stay

Now Helmet Marko has addressed the future given many believed he would slow down and throw in the towel at the end of next season.

Asked about his energy levels and passion Marko tells OE24 he is here to stay for the indefinite future: “I have the strength to do that. In Las Vegas [for FP2 until four o’clock in the morning local time] I was in amazingly good shape and in a better mood than most others.”

So it appears the alleged attempted takeover of the entire Red Bull Racing family by Christian Horner has somehow been put on hold – until the next time Marko delivers one of his spectacular faux pas.

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