Helmut Marko calls ‘truce’ with Christian Horner as Red Bull politics come to an end
Both Christian Horner and Helmut Marko have been with Red Bull since its inaugural race.
Helmut Marko has said a “truce” has been reached with Christian Horner and Red Bull will “combine all our forces” to continue winning races this season.
The internal investigation into Horner for alleged inappropriate behaviour by Red Bull GmbH was dismissed earlier this year, but claims of a behind-the-scenes ‘power struggle’ persisted between Horner and senior advisor Marko – though Horner had publicly denied any falling out between the pair.
Helmut Marko reaches ‘truce’ with Christian Horner at Red Bull
With Horner as team principal and CEO of Red Bull Racing, Marko reports directly to parent company Red Bull GmbH in his role rather than the team – meaning both men are in senior roles within the Red Bull organisation and neither report to each other.
Questions were previously asked about Marko’s future on the team before the season started. However, he later clarified that he would continue in his current position.
Marko stated that he and the team principal are collaborating for the team’s benefit as their competitors are catching up, given that Red Bull’s formerly dominant position has been challenged.
“We have reached a truce,” Marko told Austrian publication Kronen Zeitung in relation to Horner.
We want to win, so we’ll unite all our forces. Even if our supremacy is lost, our desire to triumph remains.
“But we absolutely aim to maximize its potential and set our sights on the World Championship title.”
Looking ahead to the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend
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Regarding the progress of the season so far, Marko acknowledged that after a solid start to the year, Red Bull’s competitors are starting to catch up – with McLaren and Ferrari recently putting more pressure on the team.
He reiterated recent allegations of teams “copying” aspects of Red Bull’s designs, which he considers to be par for the course at this point in a regulation cycle.
Our dominance in the first three races has been lost, as the competition has caught up in the third year of the current regulations. They have not only replicated but also enhanced some aspects. The scope for innovation is now significantly reduced.
“This is just a logical progression, not something to be ashamed of.”
In Monaco, Red Bull had a hard time competing with Ferrari and McLaren. Marko concurred with Max Verstappen’s evaluation that the RB20 seems to have difficulties with kerb riding.
Consequently, he does not believe the team should be considered the presumptive winners in Montreal this weekend, given that Canada has similar kerb profiles.
“Marko stated, ‘Ferrari is superior there, even when it comes to top speed. The truth is, we’re not heading to Canada as the favorites.'”
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