JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — Red Bull Formula One adviser Helmut Marko has suggested he could be suspended as early as next week amid questions about whether he was involved in leaks of information regarding a grievance against team principal Christian Horner.
In the latest twist at the top of Red Bull Racing in the wake of allegations of inappropriate behavior made against Horner and the resulting investigation, Marko, 80, is facing an investigation of his own from the team’s parent company, Red Bull GmbH. On Friday, Marko acknowledged the possibility of a suspension and star driver Max Verstappen defended Marko as a critical presence on his team.
The internal investigation of Marko relates to several information leaks, including a cache of purported messages and photos that were sent to top-ranking F1 officials, broadcasters and reporters soon after Red Bull announced that the grievance against Horner had been dismissed, according to a source briefed on the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity.
A Google Drive folder containing messages alleged to be between Horner and the female complainant was sent anonymously to media outlets, including The Athletic, which has not been able to verify the contents. Horner has repeatedly refused to comment on their authenticity.
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