Helmut Marco: Horner fired Mitzlaff

      Helmut Marko spoke about how everything will be arranged at Red Bull Racing after Christian Horner's departure...

      Helmut Marko: "The decision to dismiss Horner was made by the management, specifically by CEO Oliver Mintzlaff. Several factors played a role, but above all, the team's sporting results did not meet our expectations.

      Max Verstappen and his father have nothing to do with this decision. There is no Verstappen faction within the team, no Austrian or Thai faction. The entire company works in harmony. Otherwise, the success we have achieved—both commercially and on the track—would be impossible.

      We are currently reviewing all manufacturing processes to achieve maximum efficiency. Previously, Horner oversaw everything, which in some areas put us at a disadvantage. That is why Laurent Mekies has become the team leader— a qualified engineer who will focus on the team's work and race results, while Horner's remaining powers will be distributed among several specialists in their fields.

      At the Milton Keynes base, there are 2,000 people. Mekies will primarily focus on technical issues and the racing team. Separate managers will handle marketing, the RB17 project, and power units, allowing Mekies to fully concentrate on achieving racing success."