Helmut Marko has retired from Red Bull. © APA/afp / BENJAMIN CREMEL

Resignation & Successor: Helmut Marko speaks out

Max Verstappen's long-time supporter Helmut Marko has resigned of his own accord.

10 December 2025

From: apa

“No, I was by no means pressured to leave,” the 82-year-old said in an interview with RTL, ntv and sport.de regarding rumors of an involuntary departure from the Red Bull Formula 1 team. The season finale in Abu Dhabi, where Verstappen missed out on the world championship title in his duel with McLaren's Lando Norris, was the point “where I said to myself, this is the right time to stop.”

On Monday, he had a meeting in Dubai with Oliver Mintzlaff, CEO of Red Bull GmbH, "and expressed my wish. And after some discussion, he accepted it," said Marko. Mintzlaff tried to "persuade me, but saw that I was consistent. And we parted amicably." The Styrian native still had a contract until 2026.

Marko spoke of a "total withdrawal," but added that he might attend one or two Grand Prix races as a "neutral spectator." Regarding his plans, he said: "Well, I'm not going to start feeding pigeons; I have enough to keep me busy." The motorsport consultant was a key figure in the team's rise to one of the leading teams in Formula 1 over the past 20 years.

Speculation about Vettel as successor

According to media reports, Red Bull has no plans to fill Marko's role. This would also render moot any speculation that former world champion Sebastian Vettel (38) could return to his former employer as an advisor. "My idea is irrelevant. Red Bull decides everything. There are many names, but no decisions yet," said Marko.