Schumacher Backs Marko's Criticism of Horner's Red Bull Leadership

Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher has publicly supported Helmut Marko's critical assessment of Christian Horner's final period as Red Bull team principal, describing the team's environment as a "disaster" that fell apart due to Horner's management style.

Why it matters:

This public critique from a respected figure like Schumacher adds significant weight to the internal narrative of Red Bull's recent struggles. It highlights the human and operational cost of leadership disputes within a top team, which ultimately contributed to their failure to defend the 2025 drivers' championship with Max Verstappen.

The details:

Schumacher's comments, made to Sky Germany, directly echo Marko's earlier criticisms.

• He stated the team "lost an incredible number of personnel and employees" directly because of Horner.
• Schumacher characterized Horner's behavior as creating a culture where "he was the only one who mattered," which drove away talented staff.
• A major resulting problem was that "nobody wanted to come anymore," damaging the team's ability to recruit and rebuild.
• Helmut Marko had previously claimed that Max Verstappen might have won the 2025 title had Horner been removed from his position earlier.

The big picture:

Horner's dismissal after the British Grand Prix followed a string of poor results, but the fallout suggests deeper organizational issues. The public airing of grievances by figures like Marko and now Schumacher points to a period of significant internal turmoil at Red Bull Racing. This discord appears to have eroded the team's competitive foundation, which was built on stability and technical excellence during their championship-winning years.

What's next:

While Horner explores a potential return to F1 through a team investment, Red Bull's focus must be on internal healing and structural stability. The team's ability to move past this public chapter and rebuild a cohesive technical and operational group will be critical to challenging for championships again. The 2026 season will be the true test of whether the team has successfully navigated this leadership crisis.