The collaboration between Red Bull and its influential motorsport consultant Helmut Marko ends at the end of the season. The Formula 1 racing team officially announced this on Tuesday.
Dr. Helmut Marko says goodbye to the Red Bull Formula 1 racing team after 20 years – at his own request, as the press release states.
Marko said: “The fact that we narrowly missed the World Championship this season touched me deeply and made it clear to me that now the right moment has come for me to personally end this very long, intense and successful chapter. I have been working in motorsport for six decades, and the past 20 years at Red Bull have been an extraordinary and extremely successful journey. It was a wonderful time in which I was able to help and accompany so many talented people. Everything that we have achieved and built together fills me with pride.”
Oliver Mintzlaff, Managing Director of Red Bull, said goodbye to the 82-year-old with warm words and emphasized: “Helmut came to me with the wish to end his role as motorsport consultant at the end of the year. After a long and intensive conversation, I knew that I had to respect his wish because I got the impression that the time was ripe for him to take this step.”
He deeply regrets his decision “as he was an extremely influential figure for more than two decades, and his departure marks the end of an extraordinary era.” Mintzlaff particularly praised Marko’s “instinct for extraordinary talents”, with which Marko left a “lasting impression” not only at Red Bull but “in Formula 1 as a whole”: “Names like Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen represent many drivers who were discovered, promoted and led to success under his leadership.”
There were already signs of a separation at the race weekend in Abu Dhabi. “It’s a complex web of different factors,” the Red Bull advisor said, leaving the door wide open for a farewell for the first time.
Marko’s contract actually runs until the end of 2026
His actual influence in recent years has gone far beyond the official job description. His contract was originally extended by two years and would also have included the 2026 season.
Team boss Laurent Mekies previously indicated that structural changes could be imminent. He acknowledged Marko’s importance, but without commenting on his future. “Helmut has contributed enormously to getting us back on track this year,” explained Mekies, at the same time pointing to the dynamics of the premier class: “But Formula 1 is not a static environment – organizations are constantly adapting, both technically and sportingly.”
Does the end of Marko have an impact on Verstappen’s future?
Strategically, Red Bull also seems to be aiming for a fresh start. “We are constantly checking how we can improve the way we work. This is completely normal and does not specifically relate to Helmut,” said Mekies. His thanks to Marko were nevertheless clear: “I can only thank Helmut for his role – especially for the fact that he helped decisively in a difficult phase in the middle of the season.”
Helmut Marko was installed as a key person by company founder Dietrich Mateschitz and has had a significant influence on Red Bull Racing since taking over the Jaguar team in 2005. As the architect of the young talent program, he paved the careers of Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen – and often made courageous, sometimes controversial decisions.
It is precisely his close connection to Verstappen that makes Marko’s possible departure so explosive. It remains unclear what consequences this will have for the future of the four-time world champion and the balance of power in the Red Bull team.