Top Red Bull chief sets record straight on Christian Horner ‘tense’ rumour

Red Bull’s top boss has set the record straight on claims about the difficult relationship between Christian Horner and Helmut Marko.

Horner and Marko were at the centre of the internal challenges that Red Bull’s F1 team faced a year ago.

Max Verstappen’s future with the team is still being questioned because their car’s performance has declined since then.

But Oliver Mintzlaff, the managing director of the F1 team’s parent company Red Bull GmbH, has been questioned about whether Horner and Marko are still “tense” after last year’s difficulties.

Mintzlaff told Bild: “I have full confidence in every single employee. This also applies to our management team. “Helmut and Christian both want maximum success and subordinate everything to it. We have also discussed this again in the past few days.”

Christian Horner v Helmut Marko 'not a dream marriage'

It was put to Mintzlaff that Horner and Marko’s relationship was not a “dream marriage”.

He replied: “It's clear that every relationship has ups and downs.

“It should not be forgotten that the two will have their 400th race together at the next Grand Prix in Miami.

“Helmut was the one who hired Christian in 2005. The two have an incredible amount in common.

“It is clear that with all the pressure, emotions and passion, emotions can sometimes boil up.

“But then you have to sit down together and discuss it behind closed doors. And that's what we do.”

Red Bull will head into next weekend’s F1 Miami Grand Prix somewhat buoyed by their performance last time out in Saudi Arabia.

Verstappen stunned in qualifying to take pole position but was hit with a five-second time penalty early in the grand prix for an incident with Oscar Piastri.

McLaren’s Piastri won his second consecutive race and now leads the drivers’ championship, leaving Red Bull insisting Verstappen’s punishment - which largely ended his hopes of winning - was too harsh.

But Verstappen did prove he could be competitive with the McLarens over the course of a weekend which will be a much-needed boost to Red Bull as rumours swirl about his future.