Helmut Marko is accused of being behind the leak of Christian Horner’s WhatsApp messages.
The saga surrounding Christian Horner and now Helmut Marko at Red Bull Racing seems to be getting more bizarre by the minute. After alleged WhatsApp conversations of Horner were revealed last week, the situation has escalated. According to some rumors, it was Marko himself who leaked the conversations.
Gradually, the internal unrest within Red Bull Racing is reaching a boiling point. The whole drama around Christian Horner has caused a lot of commotion within the Formula 1 team, and after the investigation was concluded before the Bahrain race, there seems to be an internal war within the team.
Now, the issue seems not to be whether Horner is guilty, but rather who stands on which side within Red Bull. From the outside, there seems to be no sign of a united team anymore.
Possible suspension
Every day brings more stories, news, and rumors. While many reports lack concrete evidence, the saying ‘where there’s smoke, there’s fire’ seems apt. Marko, who plays a significant role for Verstappen and acts as a father figure to the Dutchman within the team, added fuel to the fire on Friday in Saudi Arabia.
The Austrian broadcaster ORF asked him about the circulating rumors of a possible suspension by the team in the coming week: Marko then confirmed that ‘the theoretical possibility exists’ and that he might no longer be part of the team in Australia.
Leak by Marko
The situation now appears even crazier. According to ORF, it’s believed that Marko was the one who leaked Horner’s notorious WhatsApp conversations with a female Red Bull employee to the press.
This isn’t too far-fetched, considering the anonymous leaker had access to email addresses of all prominent figures within Formula 1.
Future of the team
His future at Red Bull seems to depend on a few things: “Everything has to be in order for me if I am to continue with the team,” the Austrian clearly states, possibly implying Horner’s departure. It’s clear: there’s a crisis at Red Bull.
If Marko is suspended or decides to leave, it seems likely that Max Verstappen might also exit through a special Marko clause. The Dutchman stated after qualifying that he doesn’t see a future at the team without Marko.
Moreover, the conflict between Jos Verstappen and Horner has also exploded. If the team sides with the Brit, it’s highly likely that the Verstappens and Marko will leave.
