Nico Rosberg claims that Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko is the glue that has held the team together for the past two decades, keeping Christian Horner and Adrian Newey with the team despite attempts to pry them away.
As an old-school, call a spade a "spade" type of character, the former F1 driver and Le Mans winner, often riles people up the wrong way. Also getting into hot water for remarks about Sergio Perez's ethnicity impacting his performance.
That particular incident prompted calls for Marko's retirement, with one Brazilian sourced rumour 'reporting' that all was not well in the Bull-pen between Horner and his elder colleague. About which Rosberg was asked.
The 2016 F1 World Champion turned YouTuber, clearly with inside information on the matter, Rosberg replied: "Christian Horner was in close conversation with Ferrari, not that long ago. And here again, Dr. Marko did it, managed to keep the most important people on the team."
Ditto Red Bull's prize 'weapon' in ace designer Newey. He too was being sought by rival teams, according to Rosberg: "He was also on the move, and then they paid him a lot of money again, and he stayed for all these years. He is now a huge part of the team's success."
As a close confidante of Red Bull Racing's late founder Dietrich Mateschitz, Marko was largely in charge of the driver side of the operation, which delivered Sebastian Vettel and now Max Verstappen. Both were rejected by big teams.
Vettel and Verstappen were not snapped up by big teams, but Marko made no mistake
BMW's F1 boss at the time Mario Thiessen gave Vettel his debut when the German substituted for injured Robert Kubica at the 2007 United States Grand Prix. But then let him go, and of course Marko swooped, signed Seb and history was made.
Same story with Max. Mercedes could've had him first but Toto Wolff believed Esteban Ocon was better despite the Verstappen's, Jos included, visiting Wolff to thrash out a deal.
But Max to Merc never happened as history shows. Instead, it was Marko who snapped up the Dutchman in a less than 15-minute meeting, he was to make his debut as the youngest driver to ever race F1, with Toro Rosso. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Furthermore, in a shrewd move it is reported that Marko was key to convincing Verstappen to ink his latest deal until 2028 with the team.
Nevertheless, at 80 years of age, questions of retirement are unavoidable. More so since Mateschitz's death, Marko's greatest ally was no more.
Motorsport-Total reports: "After Mateschitz's death, Horner got closer to the Thai owners of the Red Bull Group and tried to expand his sphere of influence. It is no secret in the industry that Horner was one of those who argued loudest against the Porsche deal initially negotiated by Mateschitz and Marko."
However, Marko explained to Sky Germany: "It's clear that there are a few misunderstandings or different opinions here and there. But everything fits. I think we're winning too much. There's no real news, and things are just being played up. In general, the structure and the climate in the team are fine."
Horner: I had to laugh when I read the story
As for losing a figurehead such as Mateschitz, Marko added: "If such a charismatic leader disappears, the company has to adapt and position itself differently."
Regarding his relationship with Horner, the Austrian said: "We've known each other for 27 years. We built it up together. And the division of labour: He does the operational stuff, and I'm more in the strategy. That's worked well so far. Let's see that it works that way in the future."
When approached for comment on the feud between him and Marko 'story' from Brazil, Horner scoffed: "I had to laugh when I read the story.
"It's amazing how a drop of water splashes into the sea in Brazil these days and then a huge wave arrives in Europe."But since we won both World Championships, there's just not much else to talk about.
"It's easy for others to blow something like this up into a huge story. But Helmut and I have had a great relationship since 1996, when we first met. We have a very strong working relationship. And nothing has changed," insisted Horner, who was hired by Marko to lead Red Bull as team principal in 2005.
Like him or not, Dr Marko deserves respect for not only his incredible racing achievements, including winning the 1971 Le Mans 24-hours with Gijs van Lennep driving a Porsche 917. A promising F1 career was caught short when an accident caused the loss of an eye.
In modern times, his greatest success has been to be part of one of the great racing stories of this century, which Red Bull Racing are. As their 13 F1 World Championship titles testify.
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