Helmut Marko’s future at Red Bull hangs in the balance as crucial meeting looms- report

Helmut Marko is reportedly facing a crucial meeting over his future at Red Bull with senior officials keen to get rid of him.

Marko appeared to be unaffected under Dietrich Mateschitz’s reign, but the Red Bull founder’s death last year brought a new impetus, permeating Red Bull Racing’s operations.

Sports CEO Oliver Mintzlaff is said to be one of many Red Bull employees who want to leave Marko, as is team principal Christian Horner.

Helmut Marko faces Red Bull’s deciding vote

Marko has not done himself any favors in recent weeks by using xenophobic and false statements to criticize Red Bull’s own driver, Sergio Perez.

The incident for which Marko had to apologize increased tension within the team and placed more emphasis on the role of the 80-year-old Austrian. As a consultant to Red Bull GmbH, Marko does not actually work for Red Bull Racing, meaning he is not under the control of Horner and it appears that the gear company’s senior executives I’ve run out of patience after drinking.

According to an article co-written by former F1 driver Luciano Burti for Brazilian media outlet Globo, a meeting will take place this week to determine Marko’s future at Red Bull.

This comes after tensions increased between Horner and Marko, with Horner taking an increasingly larger role in the management of AlphaTauri, the company previously under Marko’s mandate.

Horner told PlanetF1.com in August that he played an active role in deciding the sister team’s future, including the hiring of CEO Peter Bayer and new team principal Laurent Mekies.

The CEO and team principal of Red Bull Racing is also said to be ready to remove Yuki Tsunoda from the AlphaTauri seat despite the $10 million it brings to the Honda team. Marko advised against such a move, warning it could create friction with Red Bull’s current engine manufacturing partners.

Horner and Mintzlaff, who oversee Red Bull’s sports operations, will be placed on opposite sides of the table from Marko.

After Mateschitz’s death, his shares passed to his son Mark Mateschitz, and the co-owners of TC Pharmaceuticals are playing an increasing role in Red Bull’s operations.