Formula 1 News: Marko hopes Horner case settled out-of-court

(GMM) Dr Helmut Marko is hoping the latest development in the Christian Horner saga will be resolved before it reaches court.

Although UK courts have barred the British media from reporting about it, De Telegraaf (Holland) revealed last week that the female staff member who complained about the Red Bull boss last year will have a case heard at the employment tribunal next January.

British journalists may be muted for now, but the partisan crowd at London’s O2 arena recently expressed their views about Horner in the form of widespread booing.

“I have no comment on that,” Marko told Osterreich newspaper.

He admits, however, that the Horner legal affair is still ongoing, even if it will not be until January of 2026 when it finally hits the courtroom.

“The English jurisdiction has such long lead times,” said Marko, 81. “But I hope that things will calm down before then and that there will be a settlement.”

It is rumored, however, that Max Verstappen and his father Jos are furious that the situation is still not resolved – and are looking into a 2026 move to Mercedes or Aston Martin.

“Every top team boss who wants to fight for the world championship title must be interested in Max,” Marko said. “But now we want to win the fifth title.”

Jos, though, bristled at Dutch journalist Jack Plooij who declared on Ziggo Sport that Verstappen-to-Mercedes for 2026 is basically already a done deal.

“Jack Jack Jack,” Verstappen senior said on X. “What nonsense you talk.”

At the same time, Marko fully acknowledges that 2025 is a critical season for the Verstappen-Red Bull collaboration.

“We have to give Max a car that he can use to win the world championship,” he told Sport1. “If that’s the case, I’m not worried about a possible change.

“After the tests in Bahrain, I’m in good spirits. The test was positive and the car reacts to changes in the setup. We’re still behind McLaren, but not that much. Maybe two tenths at most.”