The 2024 season started with drama as Red Bull’s internal power struggle was the trending topic. Despite its on-track domination, the Austrian outfit is suffering from factionalism. It all started when a female staff member accused Christian Horner of inappropriate behavior. While the investigating team cleared him, the drama is far from over.
Further, Adrian Newey’s exit sparked speculations of a mass exodus. As a result, every rival team verbally attacked the team’s vulnerabilities. As the season progressed, the chaos transitioned to RBR’s on-track performance. Now, Helmut Marko and Christian Horner are trying to extinguish the fire. But has the damage already been done?
Marko And Horner Unite To Extend Red Bull’s Reign
While 2023 was Red Bull’s year of glory, 2024 has brought issues and concerns. Since the start of the season, the squad has been criticized for its internal instability. Adrian Newey’s recent resignation is tied to the power struggle. Furthermore, when Christian Horner was involved in a sexual misconduct case, Max’s father, Jos Verstappen, issued a warning about potential consequences. Helmut Marko’s position was also under threat during the race weekend in Jeddah. While the team is at the top, the internal chaos disturbs its on-track performance. Therefore, after the Monaco slump, the management tries to work towards harmony.
Similarly, Helmut Marko and Christian Horner have joined hands to work on the ongoing problems. During an interaction with Krone at Helmut, Marko was asked about the internal chaos and his relationship with Horner. The senior advisor firmly replied, claiming both parties had called a truce. He said the team is more inclined towards winning the championship. Further, he accepted that the rivals had inched closer but remained confident about the upcoming weekends. Notably, teams like Ferrari and McLaren are learning from the RBR’s mistakes. Moreover, they are merging as a top contender for the World Champion. Thus, keeping personal grudges aside if Red Bull wanted to continue its domination was crucial.
F1 Analyst Suggests Christian Horner Holds Advantage In Internal Conflict
While Helmut Marko professes peace, F1 pundit Craig Slater thinks otherwise. When Sergio Perez’s contract was not extended earlier, speculations of Carlos Sainz replacing him were high. However, Perez is in team Horner, as he shares a good bond with the team leader.
Thus, the Mexican driver got a two-year extension to his contract. Slater views this as Horner’s victory and feels the team principal has the upper hand in this skirmish. He told Sky Sport that while everything happens behind the door if Marko had a casting vote, someone else might have been with Verstappen. Hence, this proves Horner is in a much better position in this chaos, as his verdict is final in major decisions.