Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko is now the focus of an investigation into media leaks regarding the inappropriate behavior allegations made against team principal Christian Horner. This comes a few days after the energy drinks company dismissed (not proved false) the allegations and suspended the woman who came forward. In the wake of the dismissal, an anonymous person released a Google Drive containing alleged images and screenshots of Horner’s misconduct.
The investigation and subsequent dismissal revealed a remorseless power struggle involving several players vying for control of Formula 1’s leading team. The female employee who was courageous enough to go to HR was relegated to a pawn in a chess game.
Autosport reports that Marko could face disciplinary action if found guilty of releasing confidential information to the media. On the possibility of being suspended, Marko told the magazine, “I’ll put it this way: It’s difficult to judge, or let’s put it this way: Ultimately, I’ll decide for myself what I do. The theoretical possibility always exists.”
Marko has headed Red Bull’s prodigious driver development program since its creation in 1999, six years before Red Bull Racing entered F1. The Austrian cut his teeth in racing in the early 1970s despite having a doctorate in law. He still prefers to be called Doctor Marko, as is traditional in Austria and Germany. He sporadically made starts in F1 while racing sports cars, winning the 1971 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Six of the 20 drivers currently in F1 are Red Bull Junior Team products, and the program can claim seven F1 world championships from Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. Jos Verstappen, Max’s father and a former F1 driver, has demanded that Horner should resign. It’s a peculiar moral stand, considering that the elder Verstappen has a past littered with charges of violence against romantic partners.
Marko and Horner have butted heads on numerous occasions over the team’s history. Once Max Verstappen established his position as the number one driver at Red Bull Racing in 2017, Marko hired Jos as a scout for the Junior Team. Autosport reports that a clause in Max’s contract allows his departure if Marko leaves the team. While it’s easy to be distracted by potential damage to the team’s performance, there’s a woman who likely had her life and career completely upended.