Horner commits to Red Bull with long-term deal

Christian Horner has committed himself to Red Bull Racing for the next five years.

The deal through to 2026 was recently signed but has only come to light via remarks from Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko to ServusTV, the station owned by Red Bull patriarch Dietrich Mateschitz, and Motorsport-total.com.

Speaking to ServusTV, Marko stated Red Bull was in the process of cementing its future "for the long term" in order to have a "solid team" to address "the transitional years coming up" given the changes to the chassis and engine regulations.

Hailing the partnership between himself and "charismatic team boss" Horner, Marko said: "We work very well. Christian is the team boss, he's in public. I'm more in the background.

"But we coordinate things very well, we set the direction of our team and staff, and on politics, we mostly speak one language. I believe that our success proves us right. "

Former F3000 racer Horner initially ran the Arden team in that series for five years from 1999-2004 before being approached to lead Red Bull Racing in F1 from 2005.

At the time, Horner became the youngest team principal in F1, since when he has overseen five drivers' titles and four constructors' championships.

Red Bull won four titles in a row from 2010 through to 2013, with Sebastian Vettel as driver, before finally ending an eight-year drought this year in the drivers' category as Max Verstappen became champion.

Marko has revealed Mateschitz had no idea as to who Horner was when he first touted his name to the Austrian billionaire.

"I introduced him to Didi Mateschitz," added Marko. "He said: 'Christian who?' He had no Formula 1 experience.

"But I knew him from Formula 3000 and other junior categories. I knew about his ambition and his abilities. That has now developed really well."

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