F1 BOMBSHELL: HELMUT MARKO ACCUSES CHRISTIAN HORNER OF "LIES," "DIRTY GAMES" AT RED BULL
Helmut Marko has launched a shocking attack on Christian Horner, alleging the former team principal lied, orchestrated a power grab after Mateschitz’s death, and played "dirty games."
Helmut Marko has made some shocking accusations against former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, claiming Horner lied and played dirty games.
This all comes after Red Bull GmbH said earlier this week that Marko would be stepping down as senior advisor after 20 years, which followed Horner's exit.
Horner was let go by Red Bull after this year’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone, ending his time leading the team.
His last years were filled with controversy, including being cleared twice after allegations of inappropriate behavior toward a Red Bull staff member.
There were also rumors of a power struggle after the death of Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz in 2022. Horner also reportedly didn't get along well with Jos Verstappen, father of Red Bull's star driver Max Verstappen.
In an interview with De Limburger, Marko said that Horner began trying to get close to Chalerm Yoovidhya, the Thai businessman and majority shareholder of Red Bull GmbH, before Mateschitz’s death in 2022.
When asked if Horner's departure meant the end of their power struggle, Marko said it wasn't personal and explained that he and Mateschitz founded Red Bull Racing in 2005 and appointed Horner as team principal. Marko said the power was mainly in Austria, where they made the decisions.
Marko recalled a party in 2022 before the Austrian Grand Prix where Horner allegedly told him that Mateschitz wouldn't live to the end of the year. Marko then claims Horner started trying to get close to Yoovidhya and, after Mateschitz passed away, did everything he could to take over with Yoovidhya's support. Marko claims he tried to prevent this on behalf of Austria.
Marko also said that there were dirty games played at Red Bull during Horner's time there.
He brought up an incident where he was quoted as saying that Mexicans are less focused than the Dutch or Germans, which he claims was made up, possibly by Horner's team.
Marko was referring to a comment he made at the 2023 Italian Grand Prix, where he said Perez has problems in qualifying and isn't as focused as Max Verstappen or Sebastian Vettel.
He apologized for those comments, saying that he doesn't believe in generalizing about people from any country or ethnicity and that it was wrong to attribute Perez's performance to his background.
Marko also mentioned another alleged fabrication, claiming that Horner wanted to suspend him for supposedly spreading rumors that the engine development was behind schedule and that Red Bull would lose Ford as a sponsor. He claims he never said that, but Max Verstappen stepped in to prevent the suspension.
Rumors of a possible suspension surfaced early in the 2024 season, reportedly related to an investigation into the leaking of information about the internal investigation into Horner's behavior.
Marko acknowledged the possibility of action being taken against him before the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, but he wasn't suspended after talks.
Verstappen spoke about the rumors, saying that Marko's departure would not be good for my situation as well.
Marko also claimed that Horner lost Yoovidhya's support before leaving in mid-2025 because Red Bull was able to prove that Horner was lying about things.
Marko suggested that the press release from Red Bull GmbH, stating that he had decided to leave on his own, was full of nonsense. He said that he had to quickly call Max Verstappen to tell him about his departure, implying that he had little control over the timing of the announcement.
HOW KIMI ANTONELLI’S THREE-RACE WIN STREAK IS REDEFINING THE MERCEDES TEAM HIERARCHY
With a 43-second gap in Miami, Antonelli proves he’s ready to lead the World Championship. Can Russell bounce back in Canada?
David Coulthard, the former Formula 1 driver, recently pointed out that Kimi Antonelli might be on track to overtake George Russell as Mercedes’ team leader.
Antonelli has been on an impressive run, clinching victories in the last three races and pulling ahead by 20 points over his main competitor and teammate, Russell.
At the Miami race, the young Italian once again outperformed his more seasoned teammate, with Russell managing only fourth place, trailing by 43 seconds.
Coulthard acknowledged Antonelli’s rapid rise in 2026, which is just his second season in F1. He highlighted Antonelli’s strengths and suggested that the Italian is, in many ways, now leading the Mercedes team.
“He’s come of age,” Coulthard said during the Up To Speed podcast.
Despite being relatively new, Antonelli has shown resilience, dealing not only with the pressure from a driver like Lando ready to strike but also with technical glitches like inconsistent paddle shifts. Coulthard mentioned how Antonelli kept his cool even when his engineer, Bono, was trying to help troubleshoot the issue in a tense moment.
“I think he’s earned the right to lead the World Championship,” Coulthard added, noting that this situation probably feels uncomfortable for George. Still, the expectations now lean heavily toward Antonelli leading the team, especially based on recent results.
Coulthard also pointed out that Russell has the experience and skill to reclaim his position as the team’s lead driver, but emphasised that only one can come out on top; someone must finish first and the other second.
The rivalry between them might start opening doors for other teams. Coulthard noted that improvements from McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull were already noticeable, especially in Miami.
“Winning in the best car isn’t always straightforward. Many have tried and struggled,” he said.
For Russell, who is feeling the weight of this momentum shift, the upcoming race in Canada will be crucial if he wants to close the gap and halt Antonelli’s winning streak.
LEWIS HAMILTON DEMANDS IMMEDIATE FERRARI ENGINE UPGRADE FOLLOWING SIXTH-PLACE MIAMI FINISH
Discover why Lewis Hamilton wants to abandon Ferrari's simulator while pushing the FIA for crucial engine development freedom.
We really need an engine upgrade. Right now, it’s nearly impossible for us to keep up with Red Bull and Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton said after the Miami race.
They both have a huge edge over us, but honestly, the rest of our car might be the best out there. Fix this engine issue, and we’ll have a real shot at fighting for wins.
This comes as the FIA is about to decide which manufacturers get extra development freedom under the ADUO rules. Toto Wolff wants only Honda to get that, but Hamilton thinks Ferrari should be included, too.
Even though Ferrari rolled out major upgrades in Miami, Hamilton said the others made bigger strides.
The team put a lot of effort into these changes; it’s progress, but everyone else moved forward as well, he said.
I heard McLaren’s updates actually worked better than expected. We didn’t see that kind of jump. Mercedes, McLaren, and Red Bull approach the front wing differently from us. Just look at their design compared to ours; it’s clearly not the same. I don’t know if that’s the key difference, but I want to understand what their concept does.
On the track, the results were disappointing.
Finishing sixth doesn’t sit well with me, Hamilton admitted. That’s not where I want to be.
He also brought up issues with Ferrari’s simulator.
To be honest, I feel like the simulator is pushing me the wrong way, Hamilton said. Maybe it’s time to set it aside, at least for now.
Charles Leclerc, his teammate, looked faster and almost made the podium, but a late spin cost him big.
Team principal Frederic Vasseur doesn’t think the engine is the whole story behind Ferrari’s struggles.
It's about the whole package, not only the engine, he said.
We need to improve everything. The fight for the title can last until the final race. What matters is having the speed to go for wins.
Yes, there are issues, but we know what needs fixing.
