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.
GEORGE RUSSELL ADMITS ANTONELLI IS "EXCEPTIONALLY QUICK" BUT REFUSES TO CONCEDE TITLE
Kimi Antonelli secured his 3rd straight F1 win in Miami, leaving George Russell 43 seconds behind and 20 points down in the title race. (130 chars)
George Russell isn’t flinching. He’s not ready to let go of the story, even as Kimi Antonelli keeps grabbing headlines. Antonelli’s been tearing it up this season – three straight wins, all from pole – and it’s got people talking. Miami was rough for Russell; he finished fourth, over 43 seconds behind Antonelli. That gap isn’t just big; it’s glaring, and it’s putting some real heat on their rivalry at Mercedes.
Russell isn’t pretending things are fine, but he’s not throwing in the towel either. He gets what Antonelli’s doing and gives props where they’re deserved. “He’s a fantastic driver, and he’s been fast since day one,” Russell said. “You don’t win all those championships as a kid if you’re not quick.” He means it, but he’s also drawing a boundary. Russell still believes in himself, and he’s not giving up on the championship.
“I’ve still got confidence in myself, and I haven’t forgotten how to drive,” he said with a little smile. “It’s just a tricky patch, but we’re only four races in; there’s a lot more to come. We’ll sort things out over the next few weeks.”
That “tricky patch” doesn’t just mean some tough luck; it includes a 20-point deficit and a teammate who won’t stop rewriting history. Antonelli’s winning streak has changed the vibe at Mercedes, at least for now.
Russell knows all about momentum and how it doesn’t always stick around. “He’s got momentum right now; he’s flying,” Russell admitted. “But I’ve won championships myself, and I know momentum swings back and forth all year.” He actually doesn’t seem bothered by the points gap. “Honestly, I’m not even thinking about it,” he said.
It’s a calm answer from a guy who’s been here before, leaning on experience while Antonelli rides his hot streak. Russell keeps saying 'big picture, patience, not panic'.
“I just want to get back on top of the podium,” he said. “I had the pace for the first three races, but this weekend I was nowhere close. It could have gone very differently these last few weeks, and this weekend could’ve just been a blip. But some races in Japan and China didn’t go my way. That’s how F1 goes sometimes.”
Still, confidence doesn’t erase a 20-point gap, not if Antonelli keeps cruising. If Antonelli keeps piling up wins, Russell’s going to have to fight more than just the stopwatch. Losing to your teammate over and over starts to mess with your head. Russell began the season as the guy to beat, but the longer this keeps up, the tougher it gets to grab hold of the story again.
He’s holding firm, for now. But F1 doesn’t wait for anyone. What does Russell call “just a tricky run”? Well, if momentum doesn’t swing his way soon, it could become a whole lot more than that.
MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES FRONT ROW IN MIAMI AS RED BULL UPGRADES DELIVER IMMEDIATE RESULTS
Charles Leclerc admitted surprise at Red Bull's pace after Max Verstappen finished P2, just 0.166s behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli.
Charles Leclerc expected Red Bull to bounce back, but he couldn’t help admiring Max Verstappen’s raw speed at the Miami Grand Prix.
Red Bull rolled into Miami with a big upgrade, looking to recover after a rough start to the season. Verstappen, a four-time world champ, landed his Red Bull in second during qualifying. He was only 0.166 seconds behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes, nearly snatching pole. After qualifying, Verstappen said he finally feels like he’s back in control of his car.
Leclerc was impressed by the turnaround. “Honestly, it’s not shocking to see Kimi up there. Mercedes has been the quickest team this year, and Kimi’s been amazing these last few races,” Leclerc said. “But Max and Red Bull are coming back like this? That’s a bit more surprising. The upgrades clearly worked, and you can’t forget how strong that team really is. You never expect them to just sit back and accept a slow start.”
He added, “We figured they’d come back swinging, but to see them right back on the front row after struggling at the start… that’s something else. It’s pretty remarkable. Still, my job’s the same: beat those guys. That’s where my head’s at right now.”
Leclerc had to settle for third on the grid for Sunday’s race. Ferrari looked strong early in qualifying, but their hopes faded by Q3.
He talked about the changing conditions, but didn’t think that’s what hurt Ferrari. “The wind definitely played a part, but track temperature wasn’t all that different, so I don’t think that’s the reason,” he said. “Maybe the track changed, and we didn’t see it coming, or maybe pushing harder today in qualifying just made our car’s weak spots stand out more.”
Leclerc admitted he hadn’t dug into the numbers yet; he’d just gotten out of the car. “We’ll have to check the details to figure out exactly where we lost time.”
