JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia -- The saga swirling around Red Bull intensified again on Friday night as reigning world champion Max Verstappen gave the strongest hint yet his future with the team is tied to racing advisor Helmut Marko.
"It is important he stays at the team," Verstappen told reporters on Friday evening, adding Marko is an "important pillar" to his decision-making process about his future.
Asked if it's a case of him being with Marko or not at the team at all, Verstappen later told Sky Sports: "I always said, and everyone at Red Bull know, that for me personally, Helmut Marko must always be there."
His comments came just an hour after Marko told Austrian TV there is a "theoretical possibility" he could be suspended by Red Bull.
Sources have told ESPN an investigation is ongoing within the world championship-winning team around the leaks which have kept the Christian Horner scandal front and centre in Formula One.
ESPN understands Marko is a central part of a wider Red Bull investigation.
A clear rift has emerged at Red Bull since team boss Horner was cleared of misconduct by Red Bull GmbH on March 28.
Verstappen's father Jos last week said the Red Bull team could "explode" should Horner stay in charge -- Max Verstappen has stopped short of publicly backing Horner, although he has not publicly criticised him either.
The tensions within the team have fueled reports Verstappen might look to replace Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes in 2025.
If there are any lingering doubts about Verstappen's opinion of Horner, there can be none about how high he values Marko, the man credited with bringing the Dutchman to the Red Bull driver programme in 2014.
"From my side, I have a lot of respect for Helmut and what we have achieved together, it goes very far," Verstappen said, shortly after taking a dominant pole position for Saturday evening's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
"Also my loyalty to him is very big. I have always expressed this to everyone within the team, everyone high up, that he is an important part in my decision making for all the time in the future as well within the team.
"It is very important that he stays within the team ... including everyone else, it is a whole team effort and it is very important that we keep the key people together because I feel like if such an important pillar falls away -- that is also what I have said to the team -- that is not good for my situation as well.
"For sure for me, Helmut has to stay. He has built this team together with Dietrich from day one and he has always been very loyal to the team to everyone within the team, to make sure everyone would keep their positions from back in the day.
"It is also very important that you give the man a lot of respect for what he has done and that goes back also to loyalty and integrity. It is important he stays part of the team, also for me."
Verstappen is under contract with Red Bull until 2028, although it is strongly rumoured in the paddock he has an exit clause which would cover Marko's departure from the team.
Verstappen is already an overwhelming favourite for a fourth consecutive world championship at Red bull this year.
The Marko suspension revelation came just 24 hours after it emerged the woman who accused Horner of inappropriate behaviour had been suspended.
It is understood she was suspended due to the findings of the original investigation, which was conducted by an independent barrister.