Marko Reveals 'Dirty Games' and Lies That Led to Horner's Red Bull Exit

Helmut Marko has broken his silence on the internal power struggle at Red Bull Racing, detailing a campaign of "dirty games" and fabricated rumors orchestrated by former team principal Christian Horner that he says ultimately cost Max Verstappen the 2025 world championship. The veteran advisor claims he fought a defensive battle on behalf of Red Bull's Austrian shareholders to prevent Horner from seizing control after founder Dietrich Mateschitz's death.

Why it matters:

Marko's account provides the first detailed insider perspective on the bitter conflict that destabilized the sport's most dominant team. His allegations of systematic deception at the highest level reveal how corporate politics can directly impact on-track performance, with Marko directly blaming the turmoil for ending Verstappen's championship streak. This transparency reshapes the narrative around one of F1's most dramatic management collapses.

The details:

• Marko claims Horner began maneuvering for control after predicting Mateschitz's declining health in 2022, telling Marko at the Austrian GP: "He won't make it to the end of the year."
• Following Mateschitz's passing, Horner allegedly aligned with majority shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya to consolidate power, while Marko positioned himself as representing Austrian shareholder interests.
• The conflict escalated through fabricated rumors designed to undermine Marko's position, including:
  • A false claim that Marko had disparaged Mexican drivers during Sergio Pérez's tenure.
  • A 2024 rumor that Marko was spreading panic about delayed engine development, which Horner allegedly tried to use as grounds for suspension.
• Marko's camp fought back by systematically disproving the lies to the Yoovidhya family, which he says led to Chalerm Yoovidhya "com[ing] to his senses" and ultimately to Horner's ousting in mid-2025.

The big picture:

Marko frames the conflict as a fundamental clash over Red Bull's governance structure. He emphasizes that power "was always in Austria" since he and Mateschitz founded the team in 2005, with Horner initially appointed as team principal under their supervision. The struggle represented Horner's bid for "unchecked authority" versus the established Austrian oversight model, with Marko seeing his role as protecting that original vision after his co-founder's death.

What's next:

With the battle concluded, Marko is departing with a substantial exit package. German reports indicate he will receive his full 2026 salary—a "golden handshake" worth approximately €10 million—as recognition for his role in building the team. While he expresses regret that the internal strife likely cost Verstappen a fifth consecutive title, Marko steps away believing he preserved Red Bull's foundational structure, albeit after what he describes as years of "unpleasant" deception.