At Red Bull, despite a public quieting of the tumult involving Christian Horner and a struggle for control, disquiet continues to pervade the team’s atmosphere. “There’s a lot of unrest behind the scenes,” whispers from within suggest, indicating that all is not well in the camp.
Speculation had reached a whispered fever pitch over whether Dr. Helmut Marko’s appearance at Suzuka would mark his final act as the premier consultant for the Austrian brand. Despite his constant presence and frequent quotes throughout the weekend, his notable absence from the victory photo post-race stirred further speculation.
Amidst this backdrop, Adrian Newey, seen alongside Horner in the celebratory scenes, finds himself at the center of rumors about a lucrative transition to Aston Martin. “Everyone thinks he’s Horner’s best friend,” shared former Red Bull racer Robert Doornbos with Ziggo Sport, “but he doesn’t want to be involved in this (saga) anymore. What I’ve heard is that he won’t renew his contract. And that’s a big thing, because if he stops at the end of 2025, where does that leave them for the new era?”
This ongoing saga has cast a shadow over Red Bull’s dominant performance in the 2024 season, notwithstanding Mercedes’ Toto Wolff conceding that Verstappen is on a clear path to clinching his fourth straight championship. Verstappen couldn’t help but notice Wolff’s recent amicability, mentioning with a smile, “Toto has been really nice lately, saying a lot of nice things about me.”
Wolff appears to be strategically leveraging Red Bull’s internal discord in hopes of positioning Mercedes as an appealing prospect for a top driver, especially with Lewis Hamilton moving to Ferrari next year. Horner, catching on to Wolff’s tactics, remarked with a hint of amusement, “I’ve learned not to listen too much to Toto’s statements.”
On the subject of Verstappen’s career trajectory, Marko offered a clear viewpoint: “Max will definitely drive where he has the best car, and that is clearly Red Bull Racing at the moment.”
Yet, should Suzuka prove to be Marko’s swan song, Verstappen’s allegiance to Red Bull could waver, potentially opening the door to a Mercedes switch. Doornbos reiterates, “There is still a lot of unrest behind the scenes,” shedding light on the internal dissonance between Marko and Horner.
Daniil Kvyat, another ex-Red Bull driver, expressed his uncertainty to Speed City Broadcasting about the outcome of the power tussle, stating, “I don’t know whether Christian Horner or Helmut Marko is winning the power struggle.”
GMM
