"Christian Horner answers to Helmut Marko": When former Red Bull employee spilled the beans on the hierarchy within the team

Red Bull's former employee Dan Drury once disclosed that the team principal Christian Horner apparently reports to senior advisor Helmut Marko. Drury claimed that Marko oversees the operation of the racing team at the direction of late founder Dietrich Mateschitz.

The six-time constructors champions reportedly witnessed a struggle for power last year after team principal Christian Horner was accused of inappropriate conduct with a female employee. This incident left a deep scar on the team as internal turmoil was reported throughout the season.

Horner and senior advisor Helmut Marko were reportedly at loggerheads before they apparently called a truce for the sake of Max Verstappen. Meanwhile, in September 2022, a former team employee spilled details on the hierarchy system.

He noted that Horner reports to Marko, who in turn reports to founder Dietrich Mateschitz. Further reflecting on Marko's role within the team, the ex-employee, Dan Drury said on The Last Lap podcast:

"Helmut is basically the eyes and ears of Dietrich Mateschitz in F1. He reports directly to Dietrich, and he oversees Red Bull Racing, AlphaTauri, as well as the junior program. Christian [Horner] answers to him." [4:40 onwards]

However, since Dietrich Mateschitz's death in October 2022, the alleged power struggle erupted in the energy drink-based team. Moreover, Horner's case added fuel to the fire as instability concerns were flagged by lead driver Max Verstappen.

He categorically said that Marko has to stay with the team for him to adhere to his contract, which runs until the end of the 2028 season. Eventually, both parties reportedly called a truce and vowed to work together in the best interest of the team.

Meanwhile, the Bulls lost the constructors championship to McLaren after they failed to weather the strong competition. However, Max Verstappen outclassed Lando Norris to clinch his fourth world championship in a row.

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Jos Verstappen warns Red Bull of a problematic year in 2025

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen's father, Jos Verstappen (Image Source: Getty)

Max Verstappen's father, Jos Verstappen, is doubtful of Red Bull being able to regain their dominance in the 2025 season. Speaking to F1 Insider this week, he said (as quoted by Motorsport):

“Red Bull has to build a car that is easier to predict in all conditions. If you look at the second half of 2024, you can’t be optimistic. Red Bull simply hasn’t managed to make the car consistently fast. So why should that be the case this year?"

Jos Verstappen has been the team's vocal critic. In the previous season, he called out the Bulls' reportedly dropping standards. At one stage, he even vouched for Christian Horner's sacking. However, Max Verstappen defended his father, saying he is emotional and has a distinct point of view.

The energy drink-based outfit is set for a big change in the 2025 season. Sergio Perez is no longer associated with the team after the stakeholders fired him on December 18, 2024. Liam Lawson, the junior driver who drove for Racing Bulls, has been appointed as his successor.