Nie ma dymu bez ognia
Reliable rumors suggest that Horner attempted to acquire the team with British financiers, without the knowledge of the Austrians.
With the passing of Dietrich Mateschitz in October 2022, the harmonious balance that allowed the coexistence of Red Bull's Thai and Austrian identities was lost. Oliver Mintzlaff, a German manager already involved in the football side of the company, was entrusted with the management of the sporting aspect of Red Bull.
Despite the apparent success of Red Bull's F1 project, winning the drivers' title in 2021 and the constructors' title in 2022 and 2023, rumors of internal disagreements within the team began to surface last year. Team principal Christian Horner was reportedly seeking to consolidate decision-making power within the new Red Bull sporting structure, potentially leading to friction.
There were even discussions about Horner's attempt to remove Helmut Marko, a close friend of the late Mateschitz, though this effort was reportedly thwarted by Max Verstappen, who owed much of his F1 career to Marko.
According to FormulaPassion.it, a reliable source familiar with the situation revealed the genesis of the bitter disagreements that ultimately fractured the team, with Horner on one side and the Austrian leadership on the other.
Allegedly, in 2023, Horner approached the Yoovidhya family with an offer from British financiers aimed at acquiring, wholly or partially, the Formula 1 team from the company. This move, reminiscent of Toto Wolff's leadership style, reportedly caught the Austrians off guard and led to a clear rift between Horner and the headquarters in Fuschl, even before the recent scandal emerged.
VIA: [formulapassion.it]