Under-fire Christian Horner gets public backing from Red Bull CEO
Christian Horner has received public backing from Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff.
Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff has seemingly offered public backing to under-fire F1 team principal Christian Horner.
The controversy around Horner has dominated F1 for the past two weeks, overshadowing the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix and resulting in discontent within the Red Bull camp.
Red Bull’s board dismissed the accusations about Horner’s behaviour towards a female member of staff last week following an internal investigation.
The woman has since been suspended and Horner insisted ahead of this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix that it is “time to draw a line under” the scandal.
However, reports of turmoil within the Red Bull camp have kept Horner in the headlines, with Max Verstappen’s father, Jos, warning that the controversy was “driving people apart”.
But Red Bull GmbH director Mintzlaff has appeared to back Horner, telling the Daily Mail in Saudi Arabia “we are happy with our management.”
Mintzlaff was seen arriving in the Jeddah paddock on Saturday with Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, whose own future has come under scrutiny in a fresh twist to the saga.
On Friday it emerged that the 80-year-old Austrian could be suspended by Red Bull amid an investigation relating to various media leaks that have taken place since the controversy around Horner first became public.
Verstappen then upped the ante on Red Bull by strongly indicating that his own future would be tied to Marko.
"It's very important that he stays within the team," the three-time world champion said.
"If such an important pillar falls away, that's not good for my situation as well. So, for me, Helmut has to stay, for sure."
Mintzlaff would not be drawn on Marko’s fate when speaking to German publication BILD, but confirmed a “good conversation” had taken place n Saudi Arabia.
“We had a good conversation with Helmut but we want to focus on the sport and get our second victory of the season,” he said. “We don't want to talk about HR topics in front of the whole world.”
Verstappen will start Saturday’s race from pole position and is looking to make it two wins from two as his 2024 title defence gets underway.
