Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has revealed that he was already considering his future before Christian Horner became the subject of an investigation into alleged ‘inappropriate behaviour’.
The Austrian has now confirmed that he was considering his future in the sport well before the ongoing saga occurred, and reassured his camp that no move to Mercedes is on the cards currently.
“I hope it will all be over as soon as possible,” he told Dutch outlet De Telegraaf.
“I was already thinking about leaving at the end of last year, but I also think we should think about Dietrich [Mateschitz's, the Red Bull founder] legacy, what his ideas were and where they took us. We owe that to him.”
Marko also confirmed that he will not be blamed for the leak of supposed messages allegedly sent by Horner, stating: “We decided that these rumours [of the leaks] were spread and had no legal background. I will not be suspended.
“Our goal is to win the world championship. For that we will have to work hard.
“I was really thankful for how loyal Max was. I was impressed. We are not going to Mercedes together at the moment.”
There’s plenty of time to elapse before the 2025 driver market fully unfolds, as Mercedes look to fill a crucial seat for the future.
As Red Bull continue to work through their issues, it appears that a move for Marko and Verstappen is becoming increasingly unlikely for the Silver Arrows.