Helmut Marko has revealed the reasoning behind his shock F1 departure from Red Bull at the end of this year’s Formula 1 season.
The Austrian left the team earlier this week following the conclusion of the F1 Abu Dhabi GP, having served as an adviser to Red Bull Racing (and its sister teams) since its debut season in 2005. His affiliation with Red Bull dates back as far as 1999.
During his tenure, Marko was responsible for the team’s driver development programme, which saw many graduates, including the likes of Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, achieve success in F1.
Verstappen’s four-year championship-winning streak was ended on Sunday by McLaren’s Lando Norris, who pipped the Dutchman to the post by just two points.
Marko’s departure was voluntary despite rumours
Following his departure, rumours circulated that Marko may have been forced to leave the team due to his controversial appearances in the media, which sometimes involved him publicly criticising Red Bull drivers. He also came under fire after this year’s Qatar GP after he suggested Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli deliberately allowed Norris to pass him during the race, therefore disadvantaging Max Verstappen and triggering a wave of online abuse towards Antonelli.
However, when speaking to Austrian broadcaster ORF, Marko confirmed that leaving his role at Red Bull was voluntary, blaming it on the team’s challenging season.
“We had a difficult season this year,” he said. “Especially at the beginning and in the middle, which is more than just a blip. We were 104 points behind in the Netherlands.
“Then we started a comeback that was, and still is, quite unique. But unfortunately, it didn’t work out in the last race. We lost the championship by two points.
“Although this comeback was unique, it was still a very bitter disappointment […] It hit us particularly hard. Even after the race, I felt that something had been lost.”
Marko went on to say that even if Verstappen had won the world driver’s championship in Abu Dhabi, he still likely would have left the role, partially due to the regulation changes arriving in 2026.
“I stayed in Dubai on Monday and that’s when I made my decision,” he said. “Even if we had won, it would have been a good reason to leave this job. But now, conversely, since we lost, it’s also a good point. Especially since completely new regulations are coming next year, both for chassis and engines.”
Verstappen not consulted in Marko departure decision
When asked whether he had discussed his exit with Verstappen, with whom he was very close, Marko said: “I didn’t discuss it with anyone, but called Oliver Minzler, the manager responsible at Red Bull, in Dubai and asked if we could meet briefly. A kind of championship dinner was planned, and we met before the meal. I told him what I wanted.
“We discussed for a while whether a partial solution or something like that would still be possible. That happened ad hoc. The other shareholder from the Thai family was also present.”
He continued: “But it was all very amicable and went very well. Max should have been there too. There were some problems with a flight, so he wasn’t there. I called him the next day. It wasn’t a normal conversation. There was a certain melancholy in the air. He said he never could have imagined that he would ever achieve such success.”
