Marko Backs Ralf Schumacher: Horner’s Account of the Verstappen Signing Is an “Absolute Lie”

Christian Horner’s upcoming autobiography, Drive, is already causing shockwaves ahead of its October 22 release. The former Red Bull Racing team principal, who departed the Milton Keynes squad in 2025, used the book to drop several bombshells about his years at the top of Formula 1.

One of Horner’s most controversial claims centres on the signing of four-time world champion Max Verstappen. According to Horner, former Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko did not want a young Verstappen in the team at all, and it took Verstappen’s father, Jos, to make the deal happen.

Marko isn’t letting that narrative stand.

“An absolute lie”

Speaking to Austrian outlet oe24, Marko brushed off Horner’s version of events.

I’m ignoring it as much as possible.

Helmut Marko, to oe24

Marko quickly pointed to former F1 driver and current Sky Sports pundit Ralf Schumacher, who defended him firmly.

Ralf Schumacher handled it very well.

Helmut Marko

Ralf Schumacher recently tore into Horner’s book, describing his account of the Verstappen signing as “an absolute lie.”

Marko approached Max when he was just 11 and a half years old. At the time, Jos said it was still too early for him. The doctor, as you know him, was a bit miffed and said: ‘Okay, if you don’t want to, then so be it.’

Ralf Schumacher

Marko confirmed Schumacher’s account, saying the timing simply wasn’t right during those early karting days.

It worked out well the way it did. Max was successful in karting back then, and we had no idea about that. Later in Formula 3 we grew closer again, and that’s how this unprecedented success story came about.

Helmut Marko

Beating Horner in Barcelona

The bad blood between Horner and Marko is well documented, especially after the power struggle that followed the death of Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz — a struggle that eventually led to Horner’s exit.

In a final counter-punch, Marko insisted it was actually Horner who tried to block Verstappen’s historic promotion to the senior Red Bull team in 2016.

I brought Max into Formula 1 and had to beat Horner in his first race for Red Bull in Barcelona. He thought Max was too young, too inexperienced…

Helmut Marko, referencing Verstappen’s debut win at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix

With Horner’s book Drive hitting shelves in late October, this bitter war of words over who truly discovered the sport’s most dominant modern driver looks far from over.