Marko's shocking allegations: how Horner allegedly plotted to remove Red Bull legend

The curtain has fallen on one of Formula 1's most significant institutional relationships. With both Helmut Marko and Christian Horner now departed from Red Bull Racing, the 82-year-old Austrian has unleashed a candid and damning assessment of their final years together, alleging that the former team principal engaged in a deliberate campaign to have him suspended from the team.

In a forthright interview with Dutch newspaper De Limburger, Marko detailed a series of what he characterizes as "dirty games" played by Horner, claiming that his rival fabricated evidence and twisted his words to orchestrate his removal from the Milton Keynes-based outfit. These revelations provide unprecedented insight into the internal turbulence that plagued Red Bull during a critical period when the team's on-track dominance began to crumble.

The fabrication claims: when words were put in Marko's mouth

Central to Marko's allegations is the assertion that Horner weaponized controversy to undermine his position. Marko addressed two specific incidents where he claims his statements were either fabricated or taken out of context.

The first controversy stems from 2023, when Marko made comments regarding Sergio Perez's inconsistent form, allegedly suggesting that Mexican drivers were less focused than their Dutch or German counterparts. Despite apologizing for those remarks at the time, Marko now contends that the entire narrative was constructed by the Horner camp.

"Do you remember when it was claimed I said Mexicans are less focused than the Dutch or Germans?" Marko stated. "That was fabricated—possibly by them."

The second alleged fabrication concerned Red Bull's engine development program. Marko firmly denies spreading rumors in 2024 that the Milton Keynes squad's power unit development was falling behind schedule and that the team would consequently lose Ford as a partner.

"I never said that, but Horner wanted to use it to suspend me," Marko explained. "Because Max stepped in at Jeddah, it didn't happen."

Verstappen's intervention: the moment that changed everything

The intervention by Max Verstappen at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix proved pivotal in thwarting what Marko describes as Horner's suspension strategy. The reigning world champion's support effectively halted the internal proceedings against Marko, highlighting the complex power dynamics that characterized Red Bull's leadership structure during this turbulent period.

This intervention underscores the fractures that had emerged within the team's hierarchy, particularly following the death of Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz in 2022. According to Marko, this event triggered a fundamental shift in power dynamics, with Horner allegedly leveraging his relationship with Thai co-founder Chalerm Yoovidhya to consolidate control.

A broader power struggle at Red Bull

While Marko downplays suggestions that Horner's July 2025 dismissal represented a personal victory for the "Austrian side" of Red Bull, he acknowledges the complex political machinations that characterized their final years together. Marko insists that deteriorating on-track performance, rather than internal politics, necessitated the change in leadership.

"We had to do something because performance on the track was lagging behind," Marko stated. "Had we done that earlier, Max would have become world champion. I'm absolutely convinced of that."

This assessment reflects Marko's conviction that the prolonged internal instability directly undermined the team's competitive position, costing Verstappen a fifth consecutive drivers' championship.

The end of an era

Red Bull enters the 2026 season without either Marko or Horner for the first time in the team's modern history. Marko's 25-year tenure as motorsport advisor concluded at the end of 2025, marking the final chapter of a storied partnership that had defined the Milton Keynes team's identity. The departure of both figures represents a seismic shift for an organization that must now navigate uncharted territorial waters without its two most influential decision-makers.

Marko's allegations paint a picture of a team divided against itself during its most critical period, where institutional politics overshadowed the single-minded pursuit of championship glory that has historically defined Red Bull's competitive philosophy.