Christian Horner has been under intense scrutiny since February when allegations of sexual harassment were levelled against him by a member of the Red Bull team.
Although these accusations were subsequently dismissed, the controversy continued to simmer, fuelled by remarks from Jos Verstappen and an investigation into Helmut Marko for allegedly leaking screenshots to the media.
Max Verstappen, the reigning three-time champion, expressed concern about Marko’s future and suggested he might depart Red Bull if the advisor were ousted from Red Bull GmbH.
However, Marko’s position within the team appears more secure following his announcement to Austrian TV that he intends to stay after discussions with Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff.
Horner refuted rumours that there was a fight for power at the top of the Formula One team in light of the apparent chaos.
He stated to Sky Sports: “Obviously, a lot is made of, this stuff, but, we are one team, and nobody is bigger than a team.
“This team comprises across the different entities of over1,400 people, and everybody has a role to play, and that’s from the very bottom to the very top and without them performing you don’t achieve performances like this.
“Unfortunately, there’s been obviously a lot of speculation this weekend, but once again, our focus is very much on track.”
Regarding Marko’s role, Horner clarified that discussions concerning him were between Marko and Red Bull GmbH, not the team directly. He praised Max Verstappen as an integral part of the team and stressed the importance of each member’s contribution and that nobody is bigger than the whole team, reiterating: “Well firstly Helmut, you know, he is a consultant to Red Bull GmbH. So whatever the discussion was was between them and not with not the team.
“Max is an important member of our team. He’s a valued member of our team He’s a wonderful driver, but everybody has a role to play in this team.
“We are a team and no single individual is bigger than the team.”
When asked about the possibility of smoothing over the relationship with Jos Verstappen, Horner emphasised the team’s focus on on-track performance and the necessity of a unified spirit and determination throughout the organization: “The speculation is obviously rife. But the most important thing is the team and focusing on on-track performances.
“You only do that by having a spirit, a culture, and a determination throughout the entire company.
“As team principal and CEO, I’m responsible for the running and the operation of this team. So, everybody has to do their part. Max is doing his part, and everybody else is doing their part.”
