The former Red Bull driver makes a quip about the ‘power struggle’ between Christian Horner and Helmut Marko

Daniil Kvyat is “not surprised” by the off-track drama at Red Bull and quipped that while they have his number if they want to bring another “old friend back”, he is not sure whether Helmut Marko or Christian Horner calls the shots now.

The early stages of Red Bull’s F1 2024 campaign were characterised by the dominant performances which have become typical of them in the ground effect era, all while behind the scenes unrest was rife in the aftermath of Red Bull GmbH dismissing a case brought against team principal Horner by a fellow employee following an internal investigation.

Helmut Marko and Christian Horner

Daniil Kvyat talks Marko and Horner Red Bull ‘power struggle’

Jos, father of Red Bull’s three-time World Champion Max Verstappen, publicly called for Horner’s exit after the conclusion of the investigation, with Max himself and Red Bull senior advisor Marko also raising doubts over their future with the Austrian outfit.

Verstappen has since moved to cool exit fears, though that has not stopped Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff from making him his top target to replace Lewis Hamilton from 2025.

Add to the fact that Daniel Ricciardo – brought back into the Red Bull fold and sent to junior team RB – is floundering while Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez fights for a new contract, and it makes for a rather “chaotic” scene at Red Bull as Kvyat put it.

Kvyat gave a cheeky nod to Ricciardo in referencing Red Bull’s fondness of bringing “old friends” back as he raised his hand, though quipped that he is not sure whether driver programme boss Marko or Horner is calling the shots these days amid their alleged “power struggle”.

“It seems a bit chaotic there,” said Kvyat of Red Bull when speaking with Speed City Broadcasting. “I’m personally not very surprised.

“They seem to like to bring their old friends back, so if one of them wants to reach out, they still know my phone number!

“I don’t know if it’s Helmut or I don’t know if now Christian has more importance. I don’t know who is winning in their power struggle up there.

“It’s going to get pretty interesting there.”

It is only natural for Mercedes to want to pounce on any opening to snatch Verstappen from Red Bull considering his stranglehold on the sport.

A DNF last time out in Melbourne ended his F1 winning streak at nine, as Carlos Sainz led home a comfortable Ferrari 1-2 finish.

And Kvyat said it is a “shame” that this off-track drama is not matched by what is occurring on it.

“It’s a shame that what’s happening outside of the track is a lot more interesting than what’s actually happening on the track,” he concluded.Verstappen next time out will look to make it a hat-trick of victories at Suzuka as he heads into battle for the Japanese Grand Prix.