Helmut Marko says he and Christian Horner will be at Red Bull for the time being, as the uneasy peace between them continues.
Marko, a long-time adviser to the team, and Horner are in an internal power struggle. Horner, the team principal, has been at the helm of Red Bull Racing since he entered Formula 1 in 2005, but his former best friend Marko insisted on a replacement after their dispute.
At first, it appeared that he had ownership of the Austrian CEOs of parent company Red Bull and their 49 percent stake in the company. However, Horner retains ownership of majority owner Chalerm Yoodivhya, whose family owns the remaining 51 percent.
Because of this division, the internal clash presented itself as a real struggle of forces between Austria and Thailand. But Mirror Sport understands that Horner now also has the backing of Salzburg managing directors Franz Watzlawick and Oliver Mintzlaff.
As a result, calm has returned within weeks. Talks have been established between the belligerents of the F1 champions’ civil war and a peace, albeit a difficult one, has been reached that continues to hold for now.
Horner’s long-term stance has been unwavering and he remains determined to remain as director and CEO of the F1 team. Marko hinted a few weeks ago that he might be on the verge of leaving, but then backtracked.
And the 80-year-old, ahead of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix, showed that his goal is still to be with the team. “I’m flying to Japan,” the Austrian told Laola1.
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He also showed that Red Bull’s majority shareholders remain happy with Horner’s presence at the helm of the company, adding: “For Thai shareholders, everything is clear. It’s all good for them. Whether something else is coming or not, I have no idea. It’s a very complex question, difficult to understand. “
Marko’s position within Red Bull appears to be going through Max Verstappen, who has publicly threatened to leave if his mentor is sacked. The Austrian added that it is Mintzlaff, who deals with sports projects at the energy drink company, who holds the cards when it comes to his future.
Marko continued: “I would say there are conversations and debates. My direct boss is Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff. . . Right now, we have other considerations besides what I’m doing. “
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