19 October 2023 , 16:10
706
0
Some reports over the last week would have you believe Red Bull Racing is on the verge of implosion.
In the blue corner, it's team principal Christian Horner who is being painted as some power-hungry tyrant, trying to secure even more power for himself. To do so would be impressive, given he has led this team from its inception and is woven deep into its fabric.
And in the red corner, we've got Helmut Marko. The Austrian is not an official employee of the team and serves in an advisory capacity with no real job title, yet continues to wield an impressive amount of influence of his own at the grand young age of 80.
Both are at the centre of a 'story' that came out of nowhere over the free weekend between the races in Qatar and Austin. A Brazilian newspaper, Globo, dropped several claims – the most enduring of which suggested Horner is working hard to push his long-time ally Marko out.
Naturally, the snowball began to roll. The claims made their way to Europe and were picked up by a mixture of motorsport websites and more established media sources, including a handful of British newspapers. And as soon as it made its way to social media, it swiftly became the most talked-about story during the gap between races where news is invariably much more thin on the ground.
Sebastian Vettel warns of looming F1 ban and is "very worried about the future"
And then others want to get in on the act. Suddenly, the 'story' moves on and it's no longer just about Horner allegedly wanting Marko gone. We've soon got claims that Max Verstappen would threaten to leave if Marko is axed, and another which suggested the Dutchman would be happier to see Horner ousted before the Austrian.
Another eye-catching, if slightly more tangential, claim came from F1 Insider which reported that Horner had tried to poach Mercedes communications chief Bradley Lord to become new team principal at sister team AlphaTauri. understands this is untrue – one source labelling the mere suggestion as being "so stupid".
Some reports have placed Max Verstappen in the centre of the alleged 'feud' between Horner and Marko (Getty Images)This week, Horner spoke exclusively to and categorically denied there is any truth to the original rumour. "Helmut still has a very valuable role that he plays within the team and there is absolutely no intent or desire from me, or anyone within the team, to see that change," he insisted. Marko has also gone on record regarding this story, telling an Austrian news site that he will be the one to decide if and when he leaves.
Sources that I have spoken to at Red Bull in the last few days have generally been baffled about the whole thing. And the official line is that the story is absolute nonsense. But the claim has permeated the F1 fanbase and, no matter how many denials are made, it won't stop some people from believing there may be something to it.
The question we'd all love to know the answer to is, where exactly has this rumour come from? One Red Bull source theorised that the Brazilian newspaper might simply have been trying to drum up interest in F1 ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix in a couple of weeks' time. If that is the case, then safe to say it's worked like a charm.
Might a rival F1 team be trying to take the gloss off Red Bull's success? (HOCH ZWEI/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)There is also a belief among some that it might simply be a rival trying to sow discord within the team that has blown away the competition this year. Or perhaps it's someone within Red Bull who has their own personal agenda, either against Marko or Horner.
Both can be abrasive characters and no-one can fool themselves into believing that everyone gets along all the time. But these two titans of the F1 paddock have worked together successfully for more than two decades in total and it's hard to understand why now, when Red Bull is enjoying unprecedented success on track, this would be the time for internal conflict off it.
The only other major factor potentially in play is the death of company founder Dietrich Mateschitz almost exactly a year ago. Everyone in the team felt the same sense of loss but for Marko it would have been more – not only did he lose a close personal friend, but also his greatest ally within the team.
It's not unreasonable to hypothesise that those who would prefer to see the back of the Austrian might feel emboldened to make a move now that Mateschitz's protection is no longer a factor. But why has it taken 12 months for this move to be made, if that is indeed the motivation?
There may be a plot in play, or it may just be another piece of gossip fabricated to fill column inches. This one in particular has been more successful than other such attempts. But like all other 'he said, she said' stories that come and go in the F1 world, it's unlikely that this one has a long shelf life.
Mick Schumacher free to race for McLaren in 2023 after Mercedes deal reached
As long as Red Bull keep winning, they will be happy. As for Helmut Marko's future, whether or not he walks away any time soon, the team will be fine – it has, for a long time now, been preparing for life without its tough taskmaster.