Whilst Red Bull Racing cruised to the most dominant titles Formula One has seen in living memory, it was not all sweetness and light behind the scenes. The expected trouble between their drivers borne from Verstappen refusing to allow Perez past in Brazil 2022 failed to materialise.

In fact the now triple F1 world champion this year did try to help his Mexican team mate by slowing over the final laps in the Las Vegas GP in an attempt to tow Sergio along by giving him DRS assistance.

 

 

 

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Perez was about to suffer a five second penalty at the chequered flag and Verstappen played the team game in attempting to pull Checo clear of the cars behind him who would benefit when the penalty was applied.

But the story which hit the headlines suggested there was a Red Bull “civil war” ensuing in the background as Christian Horner was alleged to be making a power grab to control the energy drinks company’s entire F1 operation.

Even though the Red Bull Racing empire is substantial, the way to was governed when its founder Dietrich Mateschitz was alive was akin to a family owned small business.

Pre-dating the arrival of Christian Horner and Franz Tost who have run the Red Bull F1 teams since their inception, Dr. Helmet Marko was invited by the Red Bull founder to head up the group’s driver development programme before the turn of the millennium. 

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Red Bull management decisions ‘now different’

The two forged a friendship which would continue into the Formula One years meaning as an advisor Marko had Mateschitz’s ear maybe more than would usually be the case in an operation of such size.

Speaking to oe24 this week Marko revealed the management structure had changed since the death of his entrepreneurial friend stating:

“It’s now an extended group of people, including Mark Mateschitz, the Thais and Oliver Mintzlaff. The way we used to be able to decide things with Dietrich Mateschitz was unique,” he added adding credence to the claims Marko has lost an element of his influence under the new structure which manages Red Bull Racing and AlphaTauri.

There has always been a less than affectionate relationship publicly between dr. Marko and Christian Horner with at times the Red Bull team principal appearing to distance himself from comments made by the Austrian.

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Marko calls Perez “South American”

Following a woeful run of form, Checo finally delivered at the Italian Grand Prix coming from fifth on the grid to finish second behind his team mate giving Red Bull a 1-2. In what initially seems an innocuous comment, Dr. Marko sought to praise Perez for his tenacity in the Monza race.

“The Italian GP was surely one of Checo Perez’s best weekends and we know about his problems in qualifying, which is where he has his doubts,” Marko said, in an interview for Sport & Talk of Servus TV.

“Let’s remember that he is South American and so his head is not as focused as Max Verstappen or as Sebastian Vettel was, but racing is his forte and he had a very good race.”

Perez had faced criticism a year earlier based on his heritage and refuted he had a problem with the label “lazy Mexican.”

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Hamilton calls for Marko sacking

When asked in an FIA press conference in October in 2022 whether his nationality had proven a roadblock to his F1 career, Checo replied:

“But I have felt that sometimes you are not taken seriously. Sometimes people say ‘Well, he’s just a Mexican and he’s lazy [because of] his culture’ and so on.

“But on the other hand, it is always nice to prove that anyone can be up there.”

Yet Marko’s comments hit the headlines and predictably Lewis Hamilton jumped on his discrimination bandwagon quicker than Mexican cartoon character Speedy Gonzales.

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Red Bull criticised for ‘no comment’

“Whilst we say there’s no room for any type of discrimination in this sport, which there should be no room for it, to have leaders and people in his position making comments like this is not good for us moving forward.“

Hamilton went further pretty much calling for Dr. Marko to be sacked and then criticising the Red Bull team for failing to comment on the matter.

“I think teams have, when they’ve had individuals from, particularly drivers, make comments but some individuals in the back, they usually are removed or at least they put out a quote and say they don’t support that kind of thing. 

“So it is interesting that they haven’t done for this one, so it’s not my team and it’s not how we move as a team. It just shows how much, how important it is that we continue to do the work that I’m trying to do with the team and with the sport.”

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Horner distances himself from Marko

Yet when pressed by Sky as to why he or his team had failed to publicly condemn such comments, Christian Horner appeared to be unfazed. 

“Obviously from Helmut’s perspective he’s apologised,” said Horner. “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.”

“Helmut is technically an employee of the group so its not a question for me,” he concluded.

This fairly neutral reposes from Horner did mark a shift in his attitude when asked about the repeated controversial statements Marko makes during a season. Instead of the jokey, “That’s Helmut for you” kind of response, Horner dismissed the fact the Austrian was his problem to deal with and on the issue of any sanctions being brought, Horner said it was for the FIA to decide.

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Marko says “Mr. Horner” has no say

But there had clearly been some kind of rift between the two parties and arriving in Austin Texas the rumours were rife that Horner wold be forcing Marko to retire at the end of the season.

Helmut hit back stating: “I have a contract until the end of next year. When and how I stop, when it’s over for me, I will decide. Not Mr Horner, for example.”

As the season drew to a close the gruelling schedule of Las Vegas back to back with Abu Dhabi and the associated 12 hour time shift appeared to take its toll on drivers and many in the paddock alike. 

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Marko says “talks next week”

Dr. Marko was asked whether he would be winding down next season and he replied he was still feeling “amazingly” fresh and certainly more so than others in the paddock.

“I have the strength,” Marko insisted. “In Las Vegas I was in amazingly good shape and in a better mood than most of the others.”

And now as the Red Bull Group is set for a board meeting, Marko tells oe24 that he intends to continue but suggests the options for his role are now open.

“There will be talks next week,” he said. “There are different paths and possibilities.” But Helmet insists again, “the decisions are still open – including what I will do next. My current contract runs until the end of 2024.”

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