Helmut Marko update on Red Bull's power struggle

Amidst swirling rumors of a power struggle within the Red Bull Racing hierarchy, advisor Helmut Marko has provided an update, addressing the alleged turmoil and speculations surrounding team principal Christian Horner and his own position.

Internal dynamics at Red Bull

The 2024 Formula 1 season has painted a chaotic picture behind the scenes at Red Bull Racing, with reports of a power struggle between various factions within the team.

The alleged rift has been portrayed as a clash between Marko and Red Bull's 49 percent ownership by founder Dietrich Mateschitz's family versus team boss Horner and the Thai side of the business, represented by Chalerm Yoovidhya's 51 percent stake.

Horner's investigation and Marko's alleged involvement

Initially, questions were raised about Horner's future as team principal, with an investigation into his conduct reported.

More recently, however, attention has shifted to Marko's potential involvement in widespread media leaks surrounding the alleged power struggle.

This has led to speculation about the positions of both Marko and Red Bull's star driver, Max Verstappen.

Marko's update and clarification

In a recent interview with Austria's Laola1, Marko addressed the ongoing rumors, stating,

"I'm flying to Japan. For the Thai shareholders, everything is clear. Everything is fine for them."

Whether anything else will come or not – no idea. It is a very complex matter that is difficult to understand."

Regarding his own future with Red Bull, Marko remained tight-lipped, saying,

"Well…, I would say, there are always conversations and discussions. My direct supervisor is Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff… Right now we have other concerns than what I'm doing."

Verstappen's commitment to Red Bull

Amid the speculations, reigning World Champion Max Verstappen has all but committed his future to Red Bull, dismissing rumors linking him to Mercedes.

"At the moment nobody is afraid of that, I think,"

he told AD when asked about leaving Red Bull.

"Two weeks back, though? That may be. But some people also read a lot, I don't. And I think in general that does help."

Verstappen added,

"That's what I do try to tell people, yes, that they better not read it all for a while, certain things.

And if there are any questions, anyone in the team can always call me."

While Marko acknowledged the complexity of the situation, his comments suggest that the alleged power struggle may not be as severe as portrayed in the media.

However, with limited transparency from Red Bull, the true extent of any internal dynamics remains uncertain.