Helmut Marko reveals Christian Horner opposed Max Verstappen’s 2016 Red Bull promotion. The Red Bull decision that changed F1: Marko reveals Horner’s doubts over Verstappen.

F1 | Marko reveals: “Horner was against Verstappen’s promotion”

Helmut Marko has revealed that Christian Horner was initially opposed to Max Verstappen’s early promotion to Red Bull during the 2016 Formula 1 season, in what would later become one of the most defining decisions in the team’s history.

After a difficult start to the campaign for Daniil Kvyat—culminating in the Russian driver’s double contact with Sebastian Vettel at the start of the Russian Grand Prix—Red Bull decided to make a dramatic change after just four races, replacing Kvyat with Max Verstappen.

According to Helmut Marko, however, the decision was far from universally supported inside the Milton Keynes team.

“Christian Horner did not agree with promoting Max after only four races in 2016. He was against the decision,” Helmut Marko revealed.

Marko also recalled that criticism from outside the team was equally intense at the time.

“Many critics said Max was still too young and that it was a dangerous decision.”

In the end, the gamble became one of the most iconic moments in modern Formula 1 history.

At his very first race weekend with Red Bull, Max Verstappen stunned the paddock by winning the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, becoming the youngest race winner in Formula 1 history and immediately proving Red Bull’s bold decision right.