Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has admitted he could be suspended amid a new investigation into several media leaks in the Christian Horner text scandal.
Horner found himself at the center of a roiling storm that engulfed the sport after he was initially cleared of wrongdoing by an independent investigation launched by his team’s parent company, Red Bull GmbH.
Less than 24 hours after the decision was publicly announced – and at the start of the first race weekend of the season in Bahrain – a series of leaked texts and photos, allegedly sent by Horner to the female employee involved, were distributed to key figures within Formula 1.
Now, just one day after the female employee at the center of the allegations against Horner was suspended, attention has turned to Marko.
According to MotorsportMarko admitted to broadcasters in Saudi Arabia that there was a chance he would be absent from the next race in Australia.
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has admitted that he could be suspended during a new investigation
Team boss Christian Horner has been at the center of controversy in the pre-season
The same outlet reports that Marko is under investigation by Red Bull regarding several media leaks that have occurred since Horner’s text scandal broke.
Marko last month praised the company’s handling of Horner’s scandal, as he said: ‘The sooner a result is available the better because obviously rumors and other stories will emerge due to their longevity.
‘(But) I think Red Bull has responded very well in this matter. The length of this investigation is not their fault. They strive for a fair investigation and respond accordingly.’
However, uncertainty about the 80-year-old’s place within the Red Bull team is growing following the media leaks about Horner’s scandal.
Earlier this week, Mail Sport revealed that Max Verstappen has a stunning break clause in his contract, allowing him to leave Red Bull if Marko leaves the team.
Verstappen is linked to Red Bull until 2028 and earns at least £50 million a year there. But the fact that his future is linked to Marko’s means that the idea of a possible move to Mercedes is not so fanciful after all.
Marko, an 80-year-old Austrian, is the company’s motorsport advisor. Three-time world champion Verstappen was fighting for him last year when moves were made to shuffle him out the door – maneuvers for which Horner was held responsible. Clearly, there is still a wedge between the two sides dating back to this dispute.
Max Verstappen (R) has an astonishing break clause in his contract that will allow him to leave Red Bull if Marko leaves the team
In January it was announced that Marko had signed a new contract to remain in post until the end of the 2026 season.
The contract link between Verstappen and Marko also strengthens their hands in the bitter dispute, eating the innards of what is currently by far the strongest team on the grid.
Verstappen Snr was seen chatting with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff here in Bahrain last week, and they met for dinner at the five-star Four Seasons hotel in Manama, where they were both staying.
It may have been a meeting of friends, as Verstappen Snr told me, but it’s hard to believe it wasn’t intended as a shot across Horner’s bow.
On Friday, Horner claimed he was ‘confident’ Verstappen will fulfill his contract with Red Bull, amid speculation the world champion could leave.
“I’m sure he will,” the 50-year-old said during media duties on Thursday.
Despite suggestions that Verstappen could leave, Horner insisted he was confident he would stay
‘I mean, he has a great team around him, he has great confidence in that team and we have achieved a lot together.
“He has committed to a deal until 2028. And from the team side, from Max’s side, we are determined to build on the success we have already had.
“Those 55 wins have all been achieved in Red Bull cars, all the podium finishes have been achieved in Red Bull Racing cars, and we are determined to build on that and hopefully add many more in the future.”
While Verstappen has been keen to keep his cards close to his chest and focus on successfully defending his world title, his father has been more outspoken. He told Mail Sport on Sunday that the team will ‘explode’ if Horner does not resign.