Red Bull loses its long time motorsport advisor as Helmut Marko confirms his exit
Red Bull has confirmed that Dr Helmut Marko will leave his position as motorsport advisor at the end of the year, bringing an extraordinary twenty year partnership to a close. His departure marks the end of an era that helped define modern Formula One and propelled a stream of young drivers into the sport’s highest ranks. Marko shaped the Red Bull Junior Programme from the moment it began and helped create a system that delivered eight drivers titles and six constructors titles.
During his time with the team he oversaw the rise of twenty racers from junior categories to Formula One. Among them were Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen who became the most successful drivers in Red Bull’s history. The company confirmed that Arvid Lindblad will become the latest graduate next season as he steps into Formula One with Racing Bulls. Marko’s exit arrives six months after Christian Horner left his role as team principal which adds further significance to the change.
Laurent Mekies, who now leads the team, paid a heartfelt tribute to the Austrian figure. He called the news very sad and described Marko as integral to everything Red Bull achieved on and off the track. He said that Marko’s influence extended beyond race strategy and driver selection. It reached into the heart of the Red Bull philosophy which encouraged risk, ambition and a desire to push boundaries. Mekies added that Marko helped him personally early in his career at Scuderia Toro Rosso and later supported his return to the organisation. In his view the team loses a racer at heart whose instincts shaped decisions that brought the company to the forefront of international motorsport.
Marko issued a reflective statement that spoke of pride and emotion. He said he had been part of motorsport for six decades and that his years at Red Bull had been extraordinary. He explained that missing out on the world championship this season affected him deeply and made him realise that the time had come to close this long and intense chapter. He wished the team every success and expressed confidence that they would fight for both titles again next year.
Oliver Mintzlaff, Red Bull’s chief executive of corporate projects and investments, said he regretted Marko’s decision but respected it completely. He praised the advisor for his work across more than twenty years and acknowledged that his influence touched every major strategic decision in the team’s history. He said Red Bull Racing became a multiple world champion because of the foundations Marko helped build. The junior programme that produced Vettel, Verstappen and many others stands as one of his most significant achievements. Mintzlaff said Marko possessed an instinct for talent that shaped Formula One far beyond Red Bull. Although he felt the team would lose a significant presence he emphasised gratitude and hoped Marko would remain connected in the future.
The impact of Marko’s work is widely recognised throughout the paddock. Seven drivers on the current grid came through the Red Bull junior system including Verstappen, Alex Albon, Carlos Sainz, Isack Hadjar, Liam Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly. Reporters noted that Marko was the driving force who convinced founder Dietrich Mateschitz to give Verstappen his debut in 2015. He cultivated strong links within junior categories and often held direct conversations with aspiring drivers before deciding whether they possessed the potential to succeed in Formula One.
His departure signals a major shift in the structure of Red Bull’s motorsport operation. The company now faces the task of continuing its development programme and championship ambitions without the figure who shaped its direction for two decades. As the team reflects on a season that ended with a narrow title loss the timing of Marko’s decision carries emotional weight. Red Bull says the legacy he leaves behind will continue to influence its future.