The scandal is so intricate and seemingly endless that despite having the superior car and team in Formula 1 by a significant margin – as Verstappen and Sergio Perez demonstrated with their one-two finishes in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia – the Dutch superstar may abandon them for struggling Mercedes.
Following a chaotic weekend of Red Bull antics, only Verstappen himself knows for certain whether he will leave and bring his crew to Mercedes in 2025, joining forces with George Russell to fill the void left by Lewis Hamilton, who is heading to Ferrari.
Amid an internal conflict within the Red Bull camp, Horner plays a central role in a plot that has him fighting for his career and reputation. The ongoing saga, aptly described as a persistent “turd that won’t flush,” continues to create tension as news broke that the suspended female team member is appealing the outcome. In other words, this issue remains a persistent problem for the organization.
In a display of defiance (and perhaps strength), Horner and his wife Geri Halliwell exuded love and harmony whenever they were in the spotlight together in Jeddah. This is commendable considering the circumstances. However, the question remains: will their public display be enough to withstand the outcome of the appeal if the RBR employee wins?
Unsurprisingly, the rumor mill went into overdrive following the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, another race dominated by the Red Bulls, just like the one in Bahrain a week earlier. These victories are likely to continue until fate intervenes.
Among the increasingly unbelievable reports circulating, the latest hearsay suggests that Horner and Marko will be fired by Red Bull. Of course, these rumors spread like wildfire on social media platforms where uninformed individuals gather to share absurd conspiracies.
Nevertheless, after a Red Bull shareholders meeting in Dubai, there were no changes in team leadership or personnel, and a team spokesperson, speaking on behalf of Horner, reassured everyone that all is well in RBR Camelot: “As Christian has stated, he appreciates the unwavering support of the shareholders, and that remains the case.”
Similarly, Marko himself seems to be staying put. However, he did little to alleviate the tense situation at Red Bull when commenting on reports of his own downfall. In an interview with De Telegraaf, the Austrian said, “I hope this will all be resolved as soon as possible.”
“I considered leaving at the conclusion of the previous year, but it is important to acknowledge the legacy of Dietrich Mateschitz. We must remember his ideas and the path they led us on, as we owe that to him,” stated Marko regarding Dietrich Mateschitz, the individual who possessed the vision and financial resources to transform the Red Bull Formula 1 empire into its current state.
Concerning Red Bull’s strategy and Marko’s future, he disclosed, “We have determined that these rumors were circulated without any legal foundation. I will not face suspension. Our objective is to secure the world championship. To achieve this, we will need to put in substantial effort.
“I am truly grateful for Max’s loyalty. I was genuinely impressed. Presently, we are not making the move to Mercedes together,” Marko added. Mischievous Doctor! However, this could imply that ‘they’ (referring to Marko and Max) may consider doing so in the future when the opportune “moment” arises.
Furthermore, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is more than willing to make accommodations for Max Verstappen. Does this also mean accommodations for Team Verstappen, which includes Marko, Jos ‘The Boss’ Verstappen, and their entourage? It seems that when Max departs, so do the other two and their associates, at least for now…