Ten years on: Marko reveals Horner resisted Verstappen promotion

Helmut Marko has revealed that Max Verstappen’s in-season promotion from Toro Rosso to Red Bull – that occurred ten years ago this week – was not the unanimous decision it appeared to be inside the walls of Milton Keynes.

The move, which still reads like one of Formula 1’s boldest calls, came amid pressure, controversy, and competing views at the very top of the organisation.

At the time, Daniil Kvyat was demoted back to Toro Rosso after a difficult start to the 2016 campaign – one that reached a breaking point in Russia following two separate opening-lap collisions with Sebastian Vettel.

But Marko now reveals that not everyone inside Red Bull convinced the Verstappen gamble was the right call.

A controversial switch behind closed doors

In hindsight, Verstappen’s promotion is often framed as inevitable brilliance – the moment Red Bull unlocked its future. But Marko’s account paints a far more divided picture, especially at senior level.

“Kvyat crashed twice in that race,” Marko told De Telegraaf. “The year before, he performed adequately and was sometimes even faster than Daniel Ricciardo, particularly in the rain.

“But in 2016, he was no longer the same driver and complained about the brakes from the very first day of testing. It was clear that we had to do something.”

The solution, of course, was Verstappen – a teenager already regarded as one of the most explosive talents in junior motorsport. Carlos Sainz was also in the frame, and according to Marko, disappointment was inevitable for those not selected.

“Max’s team-mate Carlos Sainz was very disappointed that we didn’t choose him,” he said. “But for us, it was a clear and simple decision.

“Team principal Christian Horner disagreed with promoting Max after just four races in 2016; he was against it.

“Just as many rivals and critics put me through the wringer and said that Max was still far too young and that this was a dangerous move.”

That internal resistance adds a striking twist to a decision that quickly became one of Red Bull’s defining masterstrokes – and one that changed the trajectory of Formula 1’s competitive order.

From bold call to historic payoff

What followed has long since been etched into F1 history. Verstappen responded to his shock promotion not with caution, but with immediate victory at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona – winning on his debut for Red Bull and becoming the youngest Grand Prix winner the sport had ever seen.

From that point on, the debate over whether he was “too young” evaporated in real time.

Now a multiple world champion and the central figure of the modern grid, Verstappen’s rise is often told as a straight line of inevitability.

But Marko’s recollection adds texture to the story – a reminder that even the most successful decisions in Formula 1 are often made against internal hesitation, external criticism, and no shortage of risk.

And ten years later, it’s still the kind of call that looks obvious only because it worked.

Read also: Marko sees Mercedes pairing dominating ‘exciting’ 2026 title battle

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