Red Bull Racing's senior advisor Helmut Marko has suggested that the departure of key figures, such as design genius Adrian Newey, is already having an impact on the team's on-track performances.
Having started off 2024 as the dominant team in Formula 1, Red Bull have struggled to keep up with competitors McLaren in recent races, with world champion Max Verstappen not having claimed a victory in the last seven events.
The start of the 2024 season saw Red Bull team principal Christian Horner embroiled in a high-profile saga following accusations of alleged inappropriate behaviour towards a female colleague.
Although Horner was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing after both an internal investigation and an appeal, the episode has left a lasting impact on the team.
Christian Horner with Max Verstappen and Helmut MarkoJos Verstappen (left) has been opposing Horner this season
Red Bull struggling to retain staff
The controversy sparked calls from several of Horner's F1 rivals for an external investigation into the allegations, leading to a period of intense scrutiny and an internal feud involving figures such as Helmut Marko and Jos Verstappen.
On top of this, several key members of Red Bull's championship-winning outfit have announced their departures, including Newey and sporting director Jonathan Wheatley.
The tensions within the team have coincided with a significant downturn in Red Bull's fortunes on the track, with Verstappen's struggles highlighted with just a sixth-place finish at the Italian GP last time out.
Speaking to oe24, Marko did not shy away from linking the off-track issues to Red Bull's recent difficulties.
"It’s clear that such things don’t help," Marko admitted when asked about the impact of the turmoil surrounding Horner.
"But that’s not directly related to our technical issues; it’s more about the departure of key personnel.
"When certain employees want to make a change and receive a good offer or see a new opportunity, they take it."
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