Helmut Marko disputes Christian Horner claim over Max Verstappen

Verstappen, Horner, Marko, socials — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Helmut Marko fires back at Christian Horner over controversial Max Verstappen claim

'The Doctor' gives his version of events

Graham Shaw Consultant Editor

Digital sports specialist running global brands for 30 years

Wednesday 7 October 2026 08:58 Updated: 09:15

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Helmut Marko has hit back at Christian Horner to dispute controversial claims made about Max Verstappen's early career with Red Bull Racing.

The mighty Dutchman has claimed four world titles already and is widely acclaimed as the greatest driver in the sport today and one of the best ever to get behind an F1 steering wheel.

But right now there is disagreement between Horner and Marko about how his story in F1 began well over a decade ago.

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The 52-year-old Horner - out of the sport since his firing as Red Bull team principal in July 2025 - raised eyebrows in a recent interview where he claimed Marko counselled against the signing of the young Verstappen.

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What Horner said, and Marko's response

Horner told the UK publication that Marko said to him: “The father’s a nightmare … We don’t need this one."

The now retired Marko was asked about those comments in an interview with Austrian outlet OE24, and he presented a very different version of events.

Beginning his response, the 83-year-old Marko said simply: "I'm ignoring it as much as possible. Ralf Schumacher handled it very well."

Former F1 star Schumacher, now an analyst for Sky Sports F1 in Germany, had branded Horner's statement "a complete lie" in a recent episode of the Backstage Boxengasse podcast.

'I had to stand my ground against Horner'

When pressed further, Marko added: “It worked out well the way it did. Max was successful in karting back then, and we had no idea about that. Later in Formula 3, we would have grown closer again, and that’s how this unprecedented success story came about."

Marko then further countered the accusations against him by claiming he actually won a battle with Horner to give Verstappen his Red Bull debut. A debut he famously won at the Spanish Grand Prix of 2016.

“I brought Max into Formula 1 and had to stand my ground against Horner at his first race for Red Bull in Barcelona. He thought Max was too young, too inexperienced.”