Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko will leave the company at the end of the year, Sky Sports News reports. Marko has been a part of Red Bull’s Formula 1 operation since the team’s entry to the grid in 2005 and also helped develop the group’s second squad, which debuted as Toro Rosso in 2006. Now 82, he has long been a central figure in the team’s talent pathway and driver decisions.
Marko is widely credited with shaping Red Bull’s junior programme and advancing numerous young drivers into F1. He cultivated a close relationship with Max Verstappen, first meeting the teenager in 2013, and played a key role in the decision to fast-track Verstappen to the championship grid after only one season in Formula 3. That promotion made Verstappen the youngest Formula 1 driver in history at 17 and helped establish his early career momentum.
Sources say Marko also played an important role behind the scenes in 2024, a turbulent year that included internal uncertainty while allegations involving former team principal Christian Horner were investigated and subsequently dismissed. His departure comes amid a wider restructuring at Red Bull under CEO Oliver Mintzlaff following Horner’s removal earlier this year.
Red Bull F1 team principal Laurent Mekies publicly thanked Marko after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, acknowledging his support in helping the team recover during a difficult season and recognising the difficult decisions top management faced. Mekies described ongoing organisational reviews as a normal part of striving for improvement across technical and sporting areas and expressed gratitude for Marko’s contribution.
Will Marko’s exit affect Verstappen?
Verstappen has previously called Marko an important pillar and a second father. Despite that close bond, Verstappen’s contract with Red Bull runs until the end of 2028, and any decision on his future is likely to be driven primarily by on-track competitiveness. New technical regulations arriving in 2026 could change the competitive landscape, and Verstappen has signalled he will prioritise being in a car capable of fighting for titles.
Red Bull’s significant performance improvement in the second half of this season, nearly overturning McLaren and Lando Norris in the Drivers’ Championship race, will provide reassurance. However, observers believe Marko’s departure alone is unlikely to be decisive for Verstappen’s long-term plans; the competitiveness of the car under the new rules will be the main factor.