Red Bull Racing finds a momentary peace amid a whirlwind of controversies and leadership disputes. The eye of the storm moved to Saudi Arabia where Max Verstappen’s open backing of Dr. Helmut Marko, his beleaguered mentor, pre-empted pivotal discussions among the team’s top brass.

Despite looming uncertainties, Dr. Marko’s feared exit from the energy drink giant didn’t materialize. His position appears stabilized, temporarily halting whispers of potential exits by notables including Verstappen, Pierre Wache, and Adrian Newey.

In the midst of swirling rumors about Verstappen’s possible sensational move to Mercedes, Oliver Mintzlaff, Red Bull’s sporting CEO, assured fans and spectators alike from Saudi Arabia, stating, “Of course – he has a contract.” On Dr. Marko’s situation, Mintzlaff confidently added, “Sure.”

The conciliatory tone was set following a strategic meeting involving Marko, Mintzlaff, and Franz Watzlawick, CEO of Red Bull’s beverage sector, all converging in Jeddah. Mintzlaff shared with Sky Italia, “Sure, as always,” when queried about the meeting’s atmosphere. He elaborated, “All I can tell you is that we had a calm conversation. I’m here to support the team and that’s all I can say.”

Amid these discussions, Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing’s team principal, was observed sharing a jovial moment with Watzlawick, suggesting a lightening of moods within the camp.

Previously, it seemed Horner aimed to quell the unrest by sidelining Marko. Clarifying the situation to Sky Deutschland, Horner delineated, “Dr Marko is the consultant for Red Bull GmbH. Their discussions were about that, not about the team. As for Max, he’s an important member of our team and a wonderful driver, but everyone has their role to play and no individual is bigger than the team. That is the only way to achieve the results that we are seeing now.”

Marko reflected on their productive dialogue, emphasizing the need for tranquility within the team’s ranks. “It was a good conversation. Calm has to return to the team now. That’s a priority. We agreed on all points and I’ll carry on, but there has to be calm.”

Expressing gratitude for Verstappen’s support, Marko commended, “That was very impressive, and I’m very grateful to him. Max is one of the few here who has strength of character and shows loyalty.”

He further labeled the rumors of his involvement in leaking private communications as “nonsense,” humorously commenting on his questionable technological prowess even with a mobile phone, “I deliberately stayed out of it. It’s absurd. I haven’t even seen the report or any of the conversation history.”

Meanwhile, Jos Verstappen, Max’s father and former F1 driver, voiced his opinion on Horner’s predicament, suggesting, “It’s too late for Horner to get out of the scandal. But he has the support of the Thai owner so I think he will stay for the rest of the season.”

Horner, acknowledging Jos’ statements, underscored his leadership role and the positive trajectory of the team, “I realise what he said. But as CEO and team boss, I am responsible for making it work and it’s going well. Everyone has their part to play.”

With Mintzlaff scheduled to meet Chalerm Yoovidhya, Red Bull’s majority Thai shareholder, in Dubai, the narrative of Red Bull Racing’s internal dynamics continues to evolve. Amidst this, Ferrari’s attempts to lure Red Bull’s tech genius Pierre Wache and possibly Adrian Newey remain a subplot to watch, highlighting the never-ending chess game in the high-speed world of Formula 1 racing.