Bad news for Horner and Marko? - “Less autonomy” granted by new Red Bull boss
Oliver Mintzlaff, who ran German football club Red Bull Leipzig, now also runs the F1 team after the passing of founder Dietrich Mateschitz.
There is already friction between Mintzlaff and Marko, the F1 team’s consultant, according to Japan’s AS Web, who report that the relationship is “not very good”.
Mintzlaff intends to give team principal Horner and Marko “less autonomy” than Mateschitz, the report says.
Mintzlaff wanted Red Bull to partner with Porsche - a move that was long planned but eventually collapsed - Austrian media report.
Marko, aged 79, said on the final day of the 2022 season: "I fulfilled my role because of my connection with Dietrich Mateschitz, a visionary who understood everything in the big picture.
“If I no longer like the atmosphere, it is no longer a problem for me. I can quit from one day to the next."
Horner has extended his contract as team principal until the end of 2026.
He led Red Bull to the 2022 constructors’ championship, and Max Verstappen to his second consecutive drivers’ championship.
The title came amid the F1 cost cap saga which will affect Verstappen’s title defence, and Red Bull were already reeling from the team orders incident in Brazil when the champion refused to let Sergio Perez pass.
Although the team insist the drivers shook hands and the incident is behind him, this latest internal rumour is far from the ideal preparation ahead of the new F1 season.
