Dr. Helmut Marko, a prominent figure within the Red Bull racing team, finds himself embroiled in uncertainty amid recent controversies, threatening his future in Formula 1.
The upheaval began with allegations of sexual harassment against Christian Horner, the team principal, culminating in the case getting dismissed earlier this month.
In the aftermath, private conversations reportedly were leaked to the media and circulated throughout the paddock, although their authenticity remains unverified.
Marko, a central figure in the team’s hierarchy, revealed yesterday that he is under investigation regarding these leaks.
In an interview on Friday night, Marko hinted that he might not be in the team for the upcoming race in Australia, suggesting further that he might depart altogether after the weekend.
These statements prompted Max Verstappen, the team’s star driver, to express concerns, emphasising that the team would face significant challenges if Marko were to depart.
But it seems Marko has been given assurances about his future after meeting with Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff on Saturday morning in Jeddah.
Referring to the result of those discussions with Sky Germany, Marko said: “It was a very good conversation. Of course, calm must return to the team. That has priority. We agreed on all points. I will continue here. My contract still has three years to run. But calm must return.
“The leaking is complete rubbish. I’m glad I can manage to use my mobile phone. I’ve never seen any of these chats.”
It is understood that Mintzlaff will visit the Thai majority owners of Red Bull in Dubai after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to discuss things following the extraordinary events of the last few weeks.
In the midst of these tumultuous developments, he reaffirmed the team’s focus on racing, stating succinctly,: “We are focusing on the racing. We are happy with our management.”
