Dr Helmut Marko to leave Red Bull motorsport advisor role

Red Bull's Motorsport Advisor Helmut Marko will leave his role with the Formula 1 squad at the end of the year, the energy drinks firm have confirmed.

Marko has played a key role in the Red Bull Junior Programme and advised the operation regarding which drivers to bring through to Formula 1 with Racing Bulls and subsequently Red Bull.

During his two-decade affiliation with the company, he has overseen the progression of 20 drivers to Formula 1, including Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel who went on to win eight world titles between them when driving for Red Bull.

Arvid Lindblad is the most recent graduate, with the British racer stepping up to F1 with Racing Bulls next season.

Following the conclusion of the 2025 campaign, Red Bull have announced Marko will leave the team six months after Team Principal Christian Horner departed.

"It is very sad news that Helmut is leaving us," said Team Principal Laurent Mekies. "He has been such an integral part of our team and of Red Bull's entire motor racing programme for more than two decades.

"This is therefore the end of a remarkably successful chapter. His departure will leave a void, and we will truly miss him.

"I would like to express my sincere gratitude for his unwavering support, not only over the past months, but also during my early days at Scuderia Toro Rosso.

"On a personal note, Helmut, along with [CEO] Oliver Mintzlaff, was the driving force behind bringing me back into the Red Bull family, first in Faenza and then this summer in my current role in Milton Keynes.

"Helmut is a real racer at heart, always pushing us to the limit, always prepared to take risks in pursuit of our goals."

"I have been involved in motorsport for six decades now, and the past 20-plus years at Red Bull have been an extraordinary and extremely successful journey,” said Marko himself. “It has been a wonderful time that I have been able to help shape and share with so many talented people. Everything we have built and achieved together fills me with pride.

“Narrowly missing out on the World Championship this season has moved me deeply and made it clear to me that now is the right moment for me personally to end this very long, intense, and successful chapter.

“I wish the entire team continued success and am convinced that they will be fighting for both world championship titles again next year.“

Oliver Mintzlaff, Red Bull’s CEO of Corporate Projects and Investments, added that: “Helmut approached me with the wish to end his role as motorsport advisor at the end of the year. I deeply regret his decision, as he has been an influential figure for more than two decades, and his departure marks the end of an extraordinary era.

“Over more than 20 years, Helmut has earned incomparable merits for our team and the entire Red Bull motorsport family. He played a decisive role in all key strategic decisions that made Red Bull Racing what it is today: a multiple world champion, an engine of innovation, and a cornerstone of international motorsport.

“His instinct for exceptional talent not only shaped our junior program but also left a lasting impact on Formula 1 as a whole. Names like Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen stand for the many drivers who were discovered, supported, and guided to the very top under his leadership. His passion, his courage to make clear decisions, and his ability to spot potential will remain unforgettable.

“After a long and intensive conversation, I knew I had to respect his wishes, as I gained the impression that the timing felt right for him to take this step. Even though his departure will leave a significant gap, our respect for his decision and our gratitude for everything he has done for Red Bull Racing outweigh it.

“Helmut Marko will be deeply missed, both personally and professionally. We wish him all the very best for the future and hope that he will remain closely and warmly connected to the team.”

F1 Correspondent Lawrence Barretto says...

Red Bull have been prolific in backing young racing talent and supporting them on their journey to Formula 1 – and Marko should take a lot of credit for that.

He was the one who pushed Red Bull's founder Dietrich Mateschitz to give Verstappen his F1 debut in 2015 – ensuring that it was the energy drinks firm who got the Dutchman's signature rather than Mercedes.

He was the one in constant contact with junior formula teams trying to sniff out the next big thing.

He was the one who would sit down with the aspiring driver face-to-face, one-to-one and decide there and then whether or not they had what it took to deliver race wins in Formula 1 for the Red Bull family.

The impact has been impressive and long-lasting. Seven of the 20 drivers on this year's grid have come through the Red Bull Junior Programme – Verstappen, Alex Albon, Carlos Sainz, Isack Hadjar, Liam Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly.

But nothing lasts forever – and Marko's departure is just the latest step in Red Bull's evolution.