Red Bull consultant Marko, the person who made Verstappen stay, leaves F1 team

Red Bull announced the departure on Tuesday of motorsport consultant Helmut Marko, a major ally and supporter of four-time Formula One world champion Max Verstappen.

“It is very sad news that Helmut is leaving us,” Red Bull team boss Laurent Mekies said in a statement on X. “He has been such an integral part of our team and of Red Bull’s entire motor racing programme for more than two decades.”

Marko’s future had been an increasingly popular topic of conversation as the season progressed. The 82-year-old Red Bull advisor said over the weekend at the season-ending Abu Dhabi race that he was definitely considering leaving.

“It’s not in doubt,” he said when asked whether his future with Red Bull was in doubt. “I will have a discussion and then I see what I do. It’s a complex of different things. I have to sleep over it and then we will see.”

Marko’s tenure at Red Bull has been a remarkably successful one, with four-time series champions Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen among the drivers Marko brought into the fold.

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He also is credited as the primary reason Verstappen stayed with Red Bull following a sexual misconduct scandal involving then-Red Bull F1 head Christian Horner in 2024.

“(Marko) has to stay for me (to stay with Red Bull),” Verstappen famously said at the time.

One issue for Red Bull as it transitions away from Marko’s influence is the icon’s status with the team. He has no formal contract with the racing team, but rather is employed by Austria-based Red Bull GmbH, Red Bull’s parent company.

The 28-year-old Verstappen, who is under a five-year contract through 2028 reportedly worth more than USD 275 million, narrowly missed out on a fifth straight world champion title on Sunday as he finished two points behind champion Lando Norris.

Published on Dec 09, 2025