Marko discloses that Horner was against Verstappen's early advancement.

      Dr. Helmut Marko has disclosed that Christian Horner, the former Red Bull team principal, was against the decision to elevate Max Verstappen to the senior team in 2016. This revelation comes as Horner is rumored to be making a return to Formula 1 after leaving Red Bull, with speculation regarding a potential stake in Alpine and broader interest from the Chinese company BYD.

      In an interview with De Telegraaf, Marko noted that Verstappen’s notable early promotion was much more contentious internally than most people realized. Following just four races in the 2016 season, Red Bull reverted Daniil Kvyat to Toro Rosso and promoted the then-18-year-old Verstappen to team up with Daniel Ricciardo.

      "It was evident that we needed to take action," he stated, referencing Kvyat’s difficulties at that time. However, Marko mentioned that the move faced significant backlash both externally and within Red Bull. "Carlos Sainz, who was Max's teammate, was very upset that we did not select him, but for us, it was a clear-cut decision," he clarified.

      The most unexpected aspect was Horner's opposition. Marko revealed, "Christian Horner did not support the decision to promote Max after only four races." He continued, "Many rivals and critics were against me, arguing that Max was still too young and that this was a risky decision."

      Marko explained that once he received approval from the late Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz, he quickly reached out to Verstappen’s father. "The next day, we were already together in Austria." Just ten days later, Verstappen made headlines by winning on his Red Bull debut at the Spanish Grand Prix.

      "Certainly, the crash involving Mercedes was fortunate, but afterward, Max immediately demonstrated his talent," remarked the 83-year-old former Red Bull advisor. "He outpaced teammate Ricciardo, and Kimi Raikkonen spent a long time within a second of him in the final laps." He added, "Although Kimi was quicker on the straights, he couldn’t overtake Max because Max drove intelligently and maturely."

      Marko acknowledged that the outcome was particularly gratifying due to the skepticism they faced. "People were ridiculing us, but we were able to silence all the critics," he stated. When asked if it felt like a validation towards Horner and other skeptics, Marko chuckled. "Naturally, it felt like 'I told you so!'" the Austrian said.

      Marko also believes that Red Bull's subsequent switch to Honda power units ultimately prevented Verstappen from leaving the team in the following years. "It’s unfortunate that we struggled with the Renault engine during those years and it wasn't until 2021 that we provided him with a car capable of winning a championship," he explained. "The transition to Honda engines did aid us during that time; otherwise, I think Max would have departed at some point."