In a recent article published by De Limburger, Helmut Marko spoke in an exclusive interview following his retirement announcement, offering new insight into his Red Bull F1 exit and the events with Christian Horner that shaped his final season with the team.
Marko will step away from Red Bull Racing after more than two decades, despite having a contract that originally ran until 2026. His exit follows a turbulent final year behind the scenes.
Informing Verstappen of his F1 decision
Marko revealed that he informed Max Verstappen of his decision by phone rather than in person, something he admitted was disappointing. “Do you know that I also had to inform Max of my decision by phone?”
He explained that the ongoing title fight influenced his timing. He did not want to distract Verstappen during a critical phase of the season and initially planned to tell him at a team dinner following in Dubai.
“But because we were still fighting for the championship, I decided to wait. I didn’t want to bother Max with that. We would all have a joint dinner in Dubai on Monday, which Max would also attend. I wanted to tell him there myself, but due to logistical circumstances, Verstappen had to cancel. Then I called him as soon as I got home,” he stated.
The phone call between Marko and Verstappen was brief but meaningful. Marko described it as both emotional and understated, reflecting their long working F1 relationship.
“It was melancholic,” Marko stated. “We expressed to each other that we never dared to dream of our achievements. Max said we would see each other soon. Of all the drivers, I have built up the closest relationship with him over the years. We don’t have to say much to each other. A few words are enough to know each other’s feelings. I can say that it was an emotional phone call, yes.”
Helmut Marko’s Red Bull partnership with Verstappen has been central to the team’s modern success, producing multiple world titles.
Decision to step away from Red Bull F1
Marko acknowledged that his departure may have surprised many, including himself. He explained that the idea of leaving only formed late in the season.
“Certainly. I didn’t walk around with it for very long myself. The idea of quitting started to live with me in Qatar. I’m not much of a doubter. I’m pretty resolute in my decisions. On Thursday before the last race in Abu Dhabi, I made the choice for myself that this would be my last weekend.” His decision was finalised just days before the season-ending race in Abu Dhabi.
Responding to Red Bull’s F1 press release
Red Bull’s official statement suggested that missing out on a fifth title for Max Verstappen influenced Marko’s departure. Marko rejected that explanation when discussing his Red Bull exit.
“I don’t want to go into too much detail, but I haven’t read that nonsense-filled press release. Let me say that a lot has changed in the team in a short time. You think you know people well, but in the end that turns out not to be the case… No, that’s all I’m saying. And that fifth title had not made any change,” he stated.
Marko emphasised that while the fifth F1 championship was a major goal, it was not the deciding factor behind his exit. “It was the ultimate dream for me to make it five in a row with Verstappen, the best driver we have ever had. But it wasn’t to be, even though I had high hopes for the last race.”
Helmut Marko on Red Bull F1 internal power struggle
Marko also addressed the long-running internal conflict at Red Bull Racing, which culminated in the dismissal of team principal Christian Horner earlier this season. “That’s how it has always been described in the media, but it was nothing personal,” he stated.
He outlined Red Bull Racing’s original structure, stating that decision making authority historically remained in Austria. “Together with Didi (Dietrich Mateschitz, late founder of Red Bull) I founded Red Bull Racing in 2005. We appointed Horner as team boss, I was there as supervisor. In principle, the power always lay in Austria, we determined.”
Marko claimed tensions escalated following Mateschitz’s declining health and eventual death. “I remember a party in 2022 ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix. Didi was there, but not in good health. Christian then came to me and said, ‘He won’t make it to the end of the year.’ From that moment on, he started to get close to Chalerm Yoovidhya. When Didi died later that year, he did everything he could to take over with the support of Yoovidhya. I have done everything I can on behalf of ‘Austria’ to prevent that.”
Horner’s F1 dismissal and its consequences
Despite ultimately succeeding in removing Horner, Marko rejected the idea that it felt like a personal victory. “No, it doesn’t. We had to do something, because the performance on the track was lagging behind,” he stated.
Marko believes an earlier decision could have changed the championship outcome during Helmut Marko’s final season at Red Bull. “By the way, if we had done that earlier, we would have gotten it back on track faster this year and Max would have become world champion. I am fully convinced of that.”
He also alleged that false narratives were used against him internally. “But those last years with Horner were not pleasant. Dirty games were played. Do you remember that during the time of Sergio Pérez I would have said that Mexicans are less focused than the Dutch or Germans? That is manufactured, perhaps by them. Just like I would have spread the word in 2024 that the development of our engine was behind schedule and that we would lose Ford as our sponsor as a result. Never said, but Horner wanted to use that to suspend me. But because Max stood up for me in Jeddah, that didn’t happen.”
Marko denied claims attributed to him and suggested attempts were made to suspend him, which were ultimately unsuccessful due to Verstappen’s support.
Major shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya’s backing of Horner faded during the 2025 F1 season, according to Marko. “We were able to show more and more often that Horner was lying about anything and everything. Once Chalerm realised that, he repented,” he stated. This shift marked a turning point in the Red Bull Racing power dynamic according to Helmut Marko.
Adjusting to life away from the F1 paddock
Looking ahead, Marko admitted that watching F1 from home will be a significant adjustment. “That will take some getting used to, of course. In any case, some screens must be added at home with all the data,” he stated.
He highlighted qualifying sessions as the moments he will miss most. “The qualifications… I’m going to miss those the most. That I am no longer close to the action. That I can’t shake hands with Max just before qualifying.“
Marko recalled one of his final interactions with Verstappen during the Abu Dhabi GP weekend. “I had a moment like that again with him in Abu Dhabi. I said to Max: ‘We need a mega lap’. And then he drives out and delivers as only he can. Yes. Those are the moments I’m going to miss the most.”
Pride in Verstappen and Red Bull F1 legacy
Helmut Marko’s reflection on his Red Bull career pointed to Verstappen as his greatest achievement: “Everything Max has achieved, actually.”
He highlighted Verstappen’s ability to win titles without always having the fastest car and his defining victories over key rivals. “That he was able to become world champion in not the best car several times. That he beat Lewis Hamilton in 2021. That we had the most wins in a season in 2023. That Max performed immediately and won his first race after I put him in the Red Bull. There are so many,” he stated.
Marko closed by returning to the sentiment shared during his final call with Verstappen. “As Max and I said to each other on the phone: we never dreamed that we would achieve this together.”
