Last Updated on March 9 2024, 12:36 pm
The fall out from the ongoing Red Bull drama has now spilled out drawing in other Formula One teams. Zak Brown and Toto Wolff have called for “transparency” over the investigation into Christian Horner’s behaviour along with RBR engine partner Honda and further power unit sponsor Ford.
Yet Red Bull Austria remains firm stating the details of the investigation which dismissed the claims of “inappropriate” behaviour of the F1 team boss would stay “confidential” and they would not make any further comment out of “respect for all concerned”.
Horner ‘honey trap’
The consensus appears to be there is a power play behind the scenes at the F1 team’s parent company in Austria, with the son of founder Didi Mateschitz at odds with the Thai majority shareholders over the future direction and ownership of the team.
Neither party has revealed their hand though Oliver Mintzlaff who heads up the Austrian contingent on the Red Bull GmbH management board is said to appear in Saudi Arabia for today’s Grand Prix race.
Having failed to oust Horner via the HR investigative process, this behind the coup then issued an anonymous email allegedly detailing damming documents gathered during the management of the complaint, in an attempt to try `Christian Horner in the core of public opinion.
Though what was revealed is at best a tawdry tale of two consensual adults conducting an illicit relationship because one of them is married and is portrayed as ‘doing the dirty.’ Further given WhatsApp messages from almost a year ago reveal pictures of the other party “typing” raises questions over whether this is a honey trap plot laid out for the Red Bull team boss.
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None of this is in breach of UK employment law where the F1 team is registered yet the mater rumbles on as new players weigh in with their opinions.
Jos Verstappen called for Horner to leave the team during the Bahrain GP weekend claiming his presence would ‘tear the team apart.’ Max’s father is not present in Saudi this weekend but has again fanned the flames of the row stating he has sympathy for the way the female employee of Red Bull has been treated.
Yet the latest paddock rumours suggests Jos himself has had a relationship with the unnamed employee who was suspended this weekend, for reported “dishonesty”, and therefore has a vested interest in supporting her cause.
Dr. Helmut Marko has this weekend become implicated in the search for the author of the “confidential” documents as he revealed to Austrian broadcaster that “theoretical possibility exists” he could be exiled by RBR on their coming trip to Australia.
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“In the end I decide for myself what I’m going to do”, said the defiant Austrian who is not employed by the F1 team but its parent company in Austria.
Marko also threatened that the ongoing drama could cause Red Bull’s star driver, Max Verstappen, to leave the team if the matter is not resolved satisfactory.
Verstappen was questioned by Sky F1 after Saudi qualifying over whether claims he would leave Red all before his contract expires in 2028 and whether Marko being dismissed would cause him to make an early departure.
“I have a lot of respect for Helmut and what we have achieved together.”
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“Helmut has to stay”
Max chose to emphasise where his loyalties lie and clearly they are not first and foremost with his team boss.
“My loyalty to him 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.”
And when pressed again on whether he could leave Red Bull, Verstappen responded: “So yeah, for sure, for me, Helmut has to stay.”
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Interestingly Max decided to give Dr. Marko all the credit for the 19 years of success since Jaguar was bought by Didi Mateschitz and became the Red Bull Racing team.
“He has built this team together with Dietrich [Mateschitz] from day one. And he’s always been very loyal to the team, to everyone within the team, to make sure that everyone would keep their positions already from back in the day.”
The F1 world champion had been asked earlier in the weekend whether he could see himself somewhere other than Red Bull in the near future and responded it would take something “really really crazy.”
Reminded of this it was put to Verstappen if Marko leaving Red Bull would qualify and he responded: “That’s quite an understatement if that happens, that’s crazy. Let’s see what happens, I don’t know, we’ll see if something happens next week.”
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Clearly Jos, Marko and now Max Verstappen are promoting the spectre of Red Bull without their champion driver, whether these are mere pressure tactics or a growing reality, is yet to be seen.
Now Toto Wolff has joined the fray following reports of Marko’s potential suspension from Red Bull. Following the death of Mercedes lost their ex-F1 driver mentor something a role Marko fulfils in the Red Bull Racing organisation.
“Marko could take the old place of Niki Lauda at Mercedes,” Toto Wolff said ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. “We are missing our old mascot anyway. Then we’ll just take Helmut! He fits in terms of age. He doesn’t have a red cap, but he can come to us,” the Mercedes boss mischievously suggested.
“Helmut is not a child of sadness and was – or is – our favourite enemy. But he is a real racer. If Helmut leaves, it is certainly a loss for Red Bull and for the team.”
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Marko has refrained from joining Jos Verstappen in calling for Horner to leave the team, but stating Max is the “biggest asset” Red Bull have is clearly a threat that should he leave the team will be much poorer.
Jos Verstappen is clearly on the side of those wishing to assonate Horner but Marko’s threats could equally directed at them in terms of their ongoing pursuit of Horners resignation.
Horner and Marko had a disagreement over the recruitment of Nyck de Vries last season, something Marko admitted he got wrong as he had backed the young Dutch driver.
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In turn when Marko was sanctioned by the FIA for alleged racist comments about Sergio Perez, Christian Horner refused to criticise the Austrian claiming he was an employee of the parent company and not the team he heads up.
The tantalising question remains over where Max would go should he leave Red Bull Racing, but at present the favoured choice for race wins has to be Ferrari given Mercedes current car design woes.
Given the Ferrari president is believed to have over ruled his team boss Fred Vasseur and sacked Carlos Sainz in favour of lewis Hamilton, the spectre of Max and Lewis racing in red next season cannot be dismissed as mere fantasy.
READ MORE: Jos Verstappen reveals SHOCK details of row with Horner
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
Surely Max must have envisioned a day when Marko decided to retire – would he stop racing then? THAT is crazy! And Tito Wolff stirring the pot … NO surprises there. Despicable. As for Jos – he’s just trying to get some reflected limelight through his son’s success, given he only managed three podium finishes in an eight year F1 career.