In a revealing interview on Austrian television, Dr. Helmut Marko, a senior advisor at Red Bull Racing, disclosed startling details behind the sudden departure of team principal Christian Horner. While official statements previously referred to Horner’s exit as a mutual decision, Marko claimed it was prompted by serious financial misconduct. He alleged that Horner was involved in unauthorized offshore investments and fund mismanagement that posed a threat to the financial health of the team.
Marko explained that an internal investigation had been underway for months following an anonymous internal tip-off. This probe uncovered a complex network of offshore accounts—allegedly located in the Cayman Islands—that had been funneling large sums of sponsorship and prize money away from the team. Independent forensic accountants were brought in, and their findings reportedly showed a consistent pattern of financial misallocation running into tens of millions of euros.
Although Marko did not go into full detail about the nature of these offshore schemes, he criticized the investments as extremely risky and ethically questionable. He pointed out that these financial decisions were made without approval from Red Bull’s financial board and involved little to no oversight. According to him, the investments appeared to be connected with unverified external entities and were made without the due diligence expected of a top-tier racing organization.
The advisor accused Horner of placing personal financial interests ahead of Red Bull Racing’s stability, suggesting that this behavior left the organization with no choice but to let him go. He claimed Horner had tried to mask his activities through shell companies and complex financial tools, further complicating the situation. Despite Horner’s contributions to the team’s on-track success, Marko emphasized that integrity and accountability could not be compromised.
The advisor accused Horner of placing personal financial interests ahead of Red Bull Racing’s stability, suggesting that this behavior left the organization with no choice but to let him go. He claimed Horner had tried to mask his activities through shell companies and complex financial tools, further complicating the situation. Despite Horner’s contributions to the team’s on-track success, Marko emphasized that integrity and accountability could not be compromised.
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