Former Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko has strongly criticised Christian Horner following the publication of his autobiography, Drive, disputing allegations made against him and condemning the book’s release date.
Tensions between Helmut Marko and Christian Horner have resurfaced following the publication of the former Red Bull team principal’s autobiography, Drive.
Horner, who has stated that he has had no contact with Marko since leaving Red Bull, revisits the internal conflicts that characterised his final years in charge of the Formula 1 team.
The book has prompted a sharp response from Marko, who has challenged several of Horner’s allegations and criticised the timing of its publication.
Marko Criticises the Book’s Release Date
Published on 22 October, Drive was released exactly four years after the death of Red Bull co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz, who passed away in 2022.
Marko considers the timing inappropriate, describing the decision to publish the autobiography on such a significant anniversary as embarrassing.
“The fact that this book is being published on the very anniversary of Dietrich Mateschitz’s death is embarrassing,” Marko told Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung.
The publication has reopened tensions linked to the internal power struggles that affected Red Bull during the final years of Horner’s leadership.
In his autobiography, Horner describes an organisation increasingly divided by internal rivalries and deteriorating relationships among senior figures.
His account includes allegations concerning Marko’s conduct and the impact of those tensions on the team’s operations.
Horner Accuses Marko of Leaking Sensitive Information
One of the central allegations in Horner’s autobiography concerns the alleged disclosure of sensitive information about Red Bull’s internal operations.
Horner accuses Marko of leaking confidential information, claiming that the situation affected the level of trust between the Austrian adviser and senior technical personnel.
According to Horner, these suspected leaks led Adrian Newey and several other senior technical figures to restrict the information they shared with Marko.
These claims form part of Horner’s broader account of the divisions that developed within Red Bull during his final years as team principal.
Horner Recounts His 2025 Dismissal
Horner also addresses his dismissal from Red Bull in 2025, describing what he perceived as a particularly cold response from Marko.
He recalls a meeting involving Marko and Red Bull executive Oliver Mintzlaff, during which, according to his account, both men largely repeated the company’s official messaging.
Horner presents the episode as another example of the deterioration in his relationship with senior figures within the organisation.
Marko, however, has rejected the broader allegations made against him.
Marko Rejects Horner’s Allegations
Asked about the accusations contained in the autobiography, Marko declined to address each allegation individually.
Instead, he dismissed Horner’s account in strongly critical terms.
“It is a collection of falsehoods at such a low level that I am not even going to respond to them,” Marko told Kronen Zeitung.
Despite refusing to engage with the allegations point by point, Marko made an exception for one particularly personal claim involving Horner’s former partner, Beverly.
Dispute Over Condolences Following Beverly’s Death
In Drive, Horner accuses Marko of failing to offer his condolences following the death of his former partner, Beverly.
Horner presents the alleged lack of acknowledgement as evidence of a lack of empathy.
Marko categorically disputes that account.
“I only want to correct one claim: I did indeed offer my condolences following the death of his former partner Beverly,” he stated.
To support his position, Marko showed a message on his phone that he said he had sent to Horner at the time.
The disagreement highlights how the dispute between the two former Red Bull figures has extended beyond professional matters into personal accusations.
A Partnership Undermined by Internal Rivalries
For nearly two decades, Horner and Marko played central roles in Red Bull’s rise to become one of Formula 1’s dominant teams.
Their collaboration contributed to the team’s sporting success, but their working relationship progressively deteriorated amid internal struggles for influence.
Those tensions became particularly pronounced following the death of Dietrich Mateschitz in 2022.
The loss of Red Bull’s co-founder marked an important period in the organisation’s internal divisions, with competing interests and deteriorating relationships affecting its senior leadership.
Horner’s departure in 2025 did not bring an end to the disagreement between the two men.
Conflicting Accounts of Red Bull’s Internal Turmoil
The publication of Drive has brought the divisions that shaped Red Bull’s recent history back into public discussion.
Horner’s autobiography presents his account of internal rivalries, alleged information leaks and the circumstances surrounding his dismissal.
Marko, meanwhile, rejects the allegations and has challenged both the timing of the book’s publication and the accuracy of its claims.
Their conflicting accounts underline the extent to which relations deteriorated between two figures who had previously worked together during one of the most successful periods in Red Bull’s Formula 1 history.
With neither side accepting the other’s version of events, the dispute continues through public statements rather than direct dialogue.
