Helmut Marko, former sporting advisor for Red Bull in Formula 1, reappeared publicly after leaving his position and offered a different version of one of the most sensitive controversies of recent years within the team: his Conflict with Sergio “Checo” Perez.

In an interview with the Dutch newspaper De Limburger, the Austrian denied making racist comments against the Mexican driver and asserted that the episode was “fabricated” amidst an internal power struggle within the team.

Marko, who for more than two decades was one of Red Bull's most influential figures and the main advisor to the late Dietrich Mateschitz, pointed directly at Christian Horner, then the team principal. According to his account, the atmosphere in the final years of their time together became increasingly tense. “Those last years with Horner weren't pleasant. There was dirty play. Do you remember the Sergio Perez era, when it was said that Mexicans are less focused than the Dutch or the Germans? That was fabricated, perhaps by them,” he stated, referring to Horner's inner circle.

The former advisor insisted that other versions circulating against him were also false. “It was just as false as if I had said in 2024 that our engine development was behind schedule and that we would therefore lose Ford as a sponsor. I never said that, but Horner wanted to use it to suspend me. Because Max intervened in Jeddah, it didn't happen,” he stated.

Statements about Checo and an apology that did exist

Marko's current words contrast with a widely documented episode. After the 2023 Monza Grand Prix, the executive stated on a Servus television program that Checo Perez's inconsistency was due to him being “South American,” a comment that generated a strong reaction due to its discriminatory nature.

Days later, Marko himself issued a public apology. “I want to apologize for my offensive comment and make it absolutely clear that I don't believe one can generalize about people from any country,race or ethnicity. I was trying to point out that Checo [Perez] has had inconsistent performance this year, but it was a mistake to attribute it to his cultural background,” he said at the time. The existence of a video with those statements and the subsequent apology complicates his current claim that the issue was “fabricated.”

Red Bull's internal conflict and the rift with Horner

Marko also addressed the power struggle that intensified after Mateschitz's death in 2022. He recalled that Red Bull Racing was founded in 2005 under clearly defined control from Austria, although with the participation of Thai shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya. “Together with Didi, I founded Red Bull Racing. We appointed Horner as team principal, and I was there as a supervisor. “Basically, the power was always in Austria,” he explained. According to his account, Horner began to cultivate a relationship with Yoovidhya after Mateschitz's death to consolidate his position. “When Didi died that same year, Christian did everything he could to seize power with Yoovidhya's support. I did everything I could in the name of 'Austria' to prevent it,” he recounted.