Helmut Marko steps down from Red Bull after 25 years

Helmut Marko, Red Bull's longtime advisor, precocious explained the reasons for his departure from the Formula 1 task astatine the extremity of this twelvemonth successful an interrogation with Austrian tv ORF. One of the cardinal factors was Max Verstappen's nonaccomplishment of the rubric successful the 2025 season. The Austrian frankincense ends his 25-year vocation astatine Red Bull. He ran the inferior programme from 2001 and was a squad advisor from 2005, playing a cardinal relation successful the emergence of four-time satellite champion Sebastian Vettel and bringing Max to Red Bull portion helium was inactive driving successful Formula 3.

The nationalist has often speculated that Marko is leaving due to the fact that of arguable statements successful the media, particularly aft the incidental with Mercedes teen Andrea Kimi Antonelli successful Qatar. However, Marko claims that the determination is solely his, aft a turbulent play successful which Max mislaid the rubric by conscionable 2 points to Lando Norris.

"We had a pugnacious play this year," said the 81-year-old. “The mediate of the play successful peculiar was precise turbulent. In the Netherlands we were 104 points down and past we started a comeback that was unique. But unluckily successful the past contention it didn’t work. We mislaid the title by 2 points.”

Dubai

He added that the determination was made successful Dubai: “Even if we had won, it would person been a bully clip to permission the job. Now, since we lost, it’s besides the close time.” Marko stressed that the chassis and powerfulness portion regulations from 2026 were the perfect infinitesimal for him to leave, adjacent though helium was not straight progressive successful the plan of the car.

When asked if helium had spoken to Max Verstappen, Marko clarified: “I didn’t talk to anyone astir it, but I called Oliver Mintzlaff, the manager of Red Bull, successful Dubai and arranged a meeting. Everything happened advertisement hoc, precise affable and good. Max was expected to beryllium there, but helium didn’t marque it due to the fact that of his flight.”

Red Bull has won 14 titles and 130 victories since 2005, much than immoderate different squad successful the past 2 decades. Marko quoted co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz: “Let’s try, possibly we’ll triumph 1 race.” The occurrence has surpassed each ambitions acceptable 20 years ago.