Helmut Marko lifts lid on Christian Horner’s dirty tricks used before his Red Bull exit

 Helmut Marko, the former Red Bull Racing chief advisor, has shed light on the events that led to Christian Horner’s dismissal as team principal.

Max Verstappen nearly secured a fifth straight drivers’ championship this year, which is impressive given the internal turmoil Red Bull was dealing with.

Horner and Marko have a long history of not seeing eye to eye. Their disagreements over drivers and team strategy were no secret during their time together at Red Bull.

Even so, they still managed to build one of Formula 1’s most successful teams.

After the British Grand Prix, Red Bull decided it was time for a change. Horner was let go and replaced by Laurent Mekies, whose arrival seemed to coincide with an upturn in the team’s form.

Later in the season, after Abu Dhabi, it was announced that Marko would also be leaving. Now 82, he has spoken about just how bad things got before he departed.

Helmut Marko accuses Christian Horner of ‘dirty tricks’ at Red Bull

After confirming his departure, Marko spoke to De Telegraaf about the ‘heated’ exchanges he often had with Horner.

The Austrian was asked if Horner’s exit felt like a win for him, and he replied: “No. We had to do something because performance on the track was lagging behind.

“Had we done that earlier, we would have gotten things back on track sooner this year, and Max would have become world champion. I am absolutely convinced of that.

“But those last few years with Horner were not pleasant. There were dirty tricks being played.”

He explained: “Do you remember me saying during the Sergio Pérez era that Mexicans are less focused than Dutch or Germans? That was fabricated, probably by them.

“Just like I supposedly spread the word in 2024 that the development of our engine was behind schedule and that we would lose Ford as our sponsor as a result.

“I never said that, but Horner wanted to use it to suspend me. Because Max stepped in at Jeddah, it didn’t happen.”

When questioned further about Horner losing the support of major shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya as the season progressed, Marko asserted: “More and more often, we were able to prove that Horner was lying about everything and anything.

“Once Chalerm realised that too, he came to his senses.”

How Red Bull’s view of Helmut Marko and Christian Horner could evolve

With the team’s structure shifting so dramatically and new regulations coming soon, it is hard to predict what Red Bull might look like beyond 2026.

Horner’s name continues to be mentioned around the paddock, as teams look to emulate the success Red Bull achieved during his time in charge.

But it seems his push for a more significant role is slowing things down. Still, any manufacturer struggling out of the gate in 2026 will likely keep an eye on him.

Marko was responsible for bringing 17 drivers to the F1 grid during his time with Red Bull – a remarkable tally by any standard.

This year, though, there were questions within Red Bull about some of Marko’s choices. His interest in former McLaren junior Alex Dunne did not sit well with everyone at the top.

There is no doubt Horner and Marko played huge roles in building one of Formula 1’s most successful runs. But as Red Bull moves into a new chapter, it will be up to Mekies and Verstappen to try and build on that legacy.