Source: Official Team Post via X
Helmut Marko Supports Ralf Schumacher Amidst Horner's Controversial Claims
Helmut Marko has sided with Ralf Schumacher against Christian Horner's claim that Red Bull didn't need Max Verstappen. The dispute adds to the tension between Horner and his former Red Bull colleagues.
Helmut Marko, the well-known Red Bull motorsport advisor, has thrown his support behind Ralf Schumacher following a contentious claim by Christian Horner. Horner, the former Red Bull team principal, suggested that Marko once stated the team didn't need Max Verstappen—a statement Marko vehemently denies.
Verstappen, who first appeared in Formula 1 with Red Bull's junior team in 2015 before moving up to Red Bull Racing the following year, has since become a cornerstone of the team, winning 73 Grands Prix and securing four world championships.
The tension between Marko and Horner isn't new. Though Marko was instrumental in bringing Horner on board as Red Bull's team principal back in 2005, their relationship soured over time. Marko departed from Red Bull a few months after Horner was relieved of his duties as team boss and CEO, describing his latter years with Horner as "unpleasant" due to "filthy games" being played.
Horner, in his upcoming autobiography 'Drive', claimed that Marko had dismissed the need for Verstappen, referring to his father, Jos Verstappen, as "a nightmare". Marko, however, dismisses this narrative, stating that Schumacher handled the situation aptly and that he himself had to stand firm against Horner's reservations about Verstappen's age and experience during his debut race for Red Bull in Barcelona.
Schumacher, on Sky Deutschland’s Backstage Boxengasse podcast, supported Marko's recollection. He called Horner's version an "absolute lie", noting that Marko first approached Verstappen when he was just 11-and-a-half years old, though Jos Verstappen initially thought it was too early for his son.
Meanwhile, Verstappen, when asked about Horner, remarked to the Press Association that the Formula 1 paddock feels calmer since Horner's departure. "It is not nice when you constantly have tension between people," Verstappen said, emphasizing that a less stressful environment benefits everyone.
Horner seems to be facing a tough week, with former colleagues and drivers reflecting on their time with him in less than flattering terms. As the dust settles, it appears the Red Bull camp is in no hurry to revisit past tensions.