Ex-Red Bull driver Daniil Kvyat pokes fun at the embattled team's 'power struggle', joking he 'doesn't know' if Christian Horner or Helmut Marko is on top... and says he 'ISN'T surprised' by the 'chaos' at the constructor

Former Red Bull driver Daniil Kvyat has shared that he is 'not surprised' by speculation over the roiling 'chaos' behind the scenes at the embattled constructors in a new interview. 

The reigning world champions have had performance on the track this season largely overshadowed by controversy of it, first sparked by the revelation that team principal Christian Horner was subject to an internal investigation over accusations of 'coercive behaviour'. 

The Briton was later cleared - only for messages alleged to have been sent between Horner and the accuser at the centre of the complaint, many of them of a sexual nature, to be leaked to leading figures in the paddock via an anonymous email. 

The husband of former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell has denied all the allegations and remains insistent about staying in his role, despite a number of calls to resign, including from the father of his star driver Max Verstappen. 

Horner's future at the constructor is thought to have ties to an ongoing power struggle within Red Bull created in the wake of the death of co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz, which is alleged to pit Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko at odds with the team principal. 

Kvyat - who previously drove for the constructor and their sister team, now called RB  - added that things were set to get 'pretty interesting' as the season progresses. 

'It seems a bit chaotic there,' Kvyat told Speed City Broadcasting. 'I'm personally not very surprised.'

Making a reference to the return of former driver Daniel Ricciardo to the fold after the Australian left the constructor in 2018, Kvyat wondered aloud if he would be one of the 'old friends' to also make a comeback with the team.  

'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!' Kvyat continued. 

'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.'

Marko himself was pressed on speculation over a rift between the Austrian shareholders, led by Mateschitz's family and hold 49 per cent of the team, and the Thai powerbase, whose 51 per cent stake sits with Chalerm Yoovidhya - son of Mateschitz's Red Bull co-creator Chaleo. 

Yoovidhya is believed to be a staunch supporter of Horner, and Marko was keen to sress that 'for the Thai shareholders, everything is clear.

'Everything is fine for them. Whether anything else will come or not – no idea.

'It is a very complex matter that is difficult to understand.'

The 80-year-old was more opaque on the topic of his future, which became the focus of uncertainty when Marko admitted last month that he might be suspended for allegedly leaking evidence from the Horner investigation. 

'Well,' Marko said. 'I would say, there are always conversations and discussions. My director supervisor is Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff...

'Right now, we have other concerns then what I am doing.'

In March, Mail Sport reported that Verstappen has a break clause in his contract expressly tied to Marko's involvement with the team, heaping further speculation on the ramifications of a potential exit. 

But in Kvyat's eyes, the drama away from the circuit added some welcome intrigue to a somewhat rote season ahead. 

'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,' the Russian driver added, who has driven in the FIA World Endurance Championship, NASCAR, and Formula E after stepping away from Formula One in 2021. 

After winning his third consecutive world championship at the end of last season, Verstappen's early dominance hit its first bump in the road during the Australian Grand Prix last month. 

The Dutch driver registered his first DNF of the season but despite not finishing the race, he remains atop the drivers' standings on 51 points after wins in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.