Tensions at Red Bull
After more than twenty years at Red Bull, the 2026 season will mark the first for the Anglo-Austrian team without Helmut Marko, the former advisor to Milton Keynes and director of the Red Bull Junior Team. His departure, followed by Christian Horner’s mid-season dismissal, surprised Günther Steiner, who was F1 Team Principal at Haas from 2016 to 2023.
The Bolzano-born manager, now in MotoGP as owner and CEO of Tech3, commented on Marko’s strong statements in an interview with De Telegraaf, which focused on the clash with Horner and the tense atmosphere within the team. Steiner is confident, however, that Red Bull will return to calmer days, though patience will be necessary: “I think it’s simply a process that takes a bit of time,” he told Sport Krone. “There had long been unrest at Red Bull, probably more than many expected. Regarding Dr. Marko, I believe he left because of his age. I didn’t expect him to react that way again. But it’s good entertainment, isn’t it? I didn’t expect it to happen like this; I thought he would announce his retirement after the next season. He’s certainly not getting younger, and the constant traveling in Formula 1 takes its toll over time. Surely, we’ll hear from Dr. Marko again in the future; there’s no need to worry.”
Calmer days with Mekies
With the chapter on Horner closed, Red Bull began a new path in mid-2025 under Laurent Mekies, appointed as the new Team Principal. With the French engineer at the helm, the team recovered from the early-season crisis to close the gap with McLaren, with Max Verstappen narrowly missing his fifth world title by just two points to Lando Norris.
“Red Bull made some decisions, and that’s it, but I think things will calm down again with Team Principal Laurent Mekies,” Gunther Steiner concluded. “They have the best driver and a strong team: the ingredients for success are all there. Time will tell what they do with it.”
As the 2026 technical regulations loom, the stability of the Red Bull garage will be under the microscope. The combination of Laurent Mekies’ tactical approach and Verstappen’s raw talent remains a formidable force, even without the presence of the “Old Guard” in the pit lane. Fans and analysts alike are eager to see if this new management structure can maintain the high-pressure winning culture that Milton Keynes is famous for, or if the loss of Marko and Horner signifies a permanent shift in the team’s identity. For Gunther Steiner, the path forward is clear, provided the team allows the new leadership the space to operate without the distractions of past controversies.
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