Last Updated on March 10 2024, 1:27 pm
While on the face of it the Red Bull Formula One team suffered another difficult weekend in the court of public opinion, there were some small grains of hope for Horner et al; that the saga which has enveloped Milton Keynes since before the 2024 season began is finally coming to an end.
Team boss Christian Horner had a more relaxed demeanour than a week previously in Bahrain and presented as the emphatic leader of the world champions rather someone clinging to their job and praying it would all just go away.
Horner ‘no ace to grind’
This despite Max Verstappen’s father being absent from his usual spot in the garage and further disparaging comments made by Jos who stated he stood by his opinion that Christian Horner should leave the team.
The errant Dr. Helmut Marko who is employed not by the team but the parent company appeared to be on his way out the day before the race as he admitted he could face suspension and be absent from the next race in Australia. Any disciplinary action against Marko would not have been at the behest of Horner given the Austrian’s employment contract is with the parent company Red Bull GmbH.
Yet the threat appeared to work as Marko chose not to enter the fray alongside Jos Verstappen and late in the weekend he was given assurances by parent company CEO that he would be staying.
When questioned on the matter, Horner demonstrated he had no axe to grind with Didi Mateschitz’s oldest friend despite rumours that Marko was behind the plot to oust the Red Bull team boss.
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Marko in trouble
“I’ve known Helmut since 1996, and he’s played an important role over the years. That role has evolved over the years. I’ve known him a very, very long time,” said Christian
“Coming up to 81 years of age, he’s still obviously motivated about Formula 1, which is a positive thing.”
Marko has caused Horner trouble having forced him to deal with a number of negative publicity events over the years. The latest being when the Austrian was accused of racism citing “cultural issues” as the reasoning behind Sergio Perez apparent lack lustre efforts in 2023.
In fact Horner has coped with Marko well over the years and the Austrian has appeared somewhat more disconnected from the team since the death of his friend and Re Bull founder Didi Mateschitz.
‘Not forcing anyone against their will’
Horner also had to deal with veiled threats from his world champion driver who had implied if Marko and his father were no longer part of the Red Bull future then he too would leave the team. In fact the Red Bull boss was in defiant form when asked about the possibility of Max walking out of RBR.
“If somebody didn’t want to be at this team, then you know, we’re not going to force somebody against their will to be here.
“That applies whether it’s a machine operator or a designer or somebody in one of the support functions, that runs through the business,” said the under fire boss.
Christian went on to offer the carrot to Max, praising his dedication to the on track cause following his ninth consecutive F1 race win.
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Max gets an ultimatum
“Being involved in a team like this involves commitment and passion. And Max has that, we’ve seen that.
“He’s been here since he was 18 years of age. And I have no doubt of his commitment and passion going forward. But you know, that’s pretty much the way it is. No individual is bigger than the team,” stated the Red Bull boss.
Clearly the suggestion he should bow to the wishes of Jos Verstappen, Helmut Marko or even Max Verstappen – who has refused to back Christian – had irritated him and the call was clear, ‘If you want to leave Max Verstappen, then go.’
Max’s threats had created a stir in the paddock with suggestions that talks were already under way for him to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes for next season. Toto Wolff was happy enough to fan the flames of this rumour when he commented about the possibility of Marko – and thus Max exiting Milton Keynes.
Marko suspected over leak of documents
Toto Wolff offers Helmut a job
”Helmut was – or is – our favourite enemy, but he is a real racer, said Toto.
“We miss our old mascot,” he said in reference to Niki Laude who passed away in 2019. “Then we’ll just take Helmut! He doesn’t have a red cap, but he can come to us,” Wolff said mocking his adversary Christian Horner and his predicament.
But the reality is Max was ever going anywhere. On present form it looks as though Ferrari are the only team capable of challenging Red Bull for the odd win this year and according to Lewis Hamilton his current racing machine is no better than the previous two which has seen him fail to win a race for over two years.
Hamilton in qualifying for this weekends race in Saudi was a full second slower than Verstappen and his team mate who Lewis admits is finding the car easier to manage could only manage a tenth of a second better than his 7 times champion team mate.
Jos Verstappen reveals details of his row with Horner
Mercedes behind McLaren this year
Russell who had the optimum pit stop strategy only crossed the line in P6 some 39 seconds behind Verstappen, while Lewis complained his strategy had hung him out to dry saw him 7 seconds behind his team mate and collecting just two points.
To put the Mercedes woes into context, Oliver Bearman who has never driven in one of the current F1 car specifications was thrown in the deep on Friday and with just a handful of practice laps then he almost knocked Hamilton out in Q2. A mere 0.036 seconds was the deficit which would have humiliated Lewis and Mercedes.
Bearman then went on to climb through the field from his starting position of P11 to finish ahead of Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton who failed to catch the rookie driver over there closing laps of the race. Bearman in just one race now sits just 2 points behind Hamilton who is having his worst start to a season for a decade.
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Verstappen’s threats hollow
Max Verstappen knowns which side his bread is buttered and should Marko and Jos have been evicted form the RBR trackside spots they’ve filled for years, he would have shut up and carry on regardless.
Whilst the Jos Verstappen issue is yet to be resolved it appears Horner and Red Bull are out of the woods following the tumultuous start they’ve had to the season hounded by scandal and in fighting. If anything Christian Horner’s position has been strengthened and Max Verstappen has had his card marked.
As brilliant as the Dutch driver is, he is reliant on a team of 1400 people who deliver the machinery he drives will consummate ease. Yet Red Bull will not be short of drivers who would race Max’s RB20, while he watched them disappear over the horizon should he bee in the woeful Mercedes W15.
READ MORE: Bearman to get F1 seat after sensational debut
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.
Max, take helmut, Jos, go find another team!!
Max Verstappen’s Father and Marko Helmut are OUT ORDER, both should be disciplined and sacked. Christian Horner should stand tall and show authority as a Chief Principle of Red Bull.
IMO..RB, should permanently bar Jos V from ANY RB activity, function or premises. MV will huff and puff, but he is not that well liked, and where would he go, Mercedes, ? Perhaps calling his bluff would best for the team and in the interim shed themselves of Marko…
To many people climbing on board and adding fuel to the fire for their own selfish personal benefit…trying to drive a wedge between Red Bull , Horner and Max. Gossip and personal vendetta to be put to rest… Who has never made any foolish mistakes in their lives. Let ” sleeping dogs lay!”
Jos should be band from the garage he’s always a pain he’s only the father of max and should only influence his son not the team Jason buttons father RIP was welcome to the garage because he was there to was his son race
People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones , jos is forgetting that his past leaves a lot to talk about . He and his father were arrested for assault , jos went to prison for attempted murder, he was done for assaulting his ex wife . Yet he has the nerve to cause problems in a winning team . He just needs to keep it shut