Helmut Marko leaves Red Bull ahead of 2026

By Teagan Crump

After over 20 years at Red Bull Racing, Dr Helmut Marko has announced that he will be leaving the team. The Austrian oversaw six constructors’ titles, and eight drivers’ championships at the Milton Keynes based team.

📸: F1

During his time at Red Bull Racing, Marko served as a Motorsport Advisor, and has been a key part of the Red Bull Junior Programme. He advised the programme on which drivers should be promoted to Formula One.

Throughout his twenty years, Marko has contributed to the promotion of Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel, and most recently Arvid Lindblad who will be competing for Racing Bulls in 2026.

This announcement comes just six months after Christian Horner left the team and his role as Team Principal.

📸: F1

Laurent Mekies, Team Principal of Red Bull Racing said:"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."

He then went on to add:

"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.“

📸: F1

CEO of Red Bull’s Corporate Projects and Investments, Oliver Mintzlaff, responded to the statement:

“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.”

Red Bull are yet to announce a replacement for Helmut Marko.