Red Bull Racing has paid tribute to Helmut Marko after the 82 year old announced that he will step down from his long standing role as motorsport advisor at the end of the 2025 Formula One season. In a statement released on Tuesday, Red Bull CEO for Corporate Projects and Investments, Oliver Mintzlaff, expressed “deep regret” at Marko’s decision, describing his departure as the end of an extraordinary era for the team.
BREAKING: Red Bull Racing advisor Helmut Marko will depart the team after more than two decades at the Milton Keynes team.#F1 pic.twitter.com/NknD0vEyl7
— Formula 1 (@F1) December 9, 2025
Marko’s influence on Red Bull’s rise to the top of Formula One is difficult to overstate. Over more than two decades, he played a central role in shaping the team’s philosophy, its talent pipeline and many of the strategic calls that turned Red Bull Racing into a six time constructors’ champion. Mintzlaff highlighted how Marko’s instinct for spotting exceptional drivers helped transform the sport’s landscape. Through the Red Bull Junior Team, he guided 17 drivers into Formula One, soon to become 18 with Arvid Lindblad set to debut next year.
Names such as Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, both elevated from prodigious talents into world champions under his guidance, stand as testament to Marko’s judgement. Beyond identifying talent, he developed a reputation for taking bold decisions and pushing both drivers and team personnel to standards that defined Red Bull’s competitive edge.
Marko’s departure comes shortly after Max Verstappen narrowly missed out on securing a fifth consecutive drivers’ title, a moment which the Austrian reportedly felt provided the right time to step away. A former racer himself, Marko’s motorsport journey included competing in Formula One and celebrating victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans before moving into management.
Mintzlaff said that Marko’s exit would leave “a significant gap” within the squad, praising his passion, courage and unwavering commitment throughout his tenure. “Helmut Marko will be deeply missed, both personally and professionally,” he noted. “We wish him all the very best for the future and hope he remains closely connected to the team.”
For Red Bull, the post Marko era now begins, with the team facing the challenge of maintaining the aggressive talent structure and bold sporting vision he spent more than twenty years building. For Formula One, his departure signals the retirement of one of the paddock’s most influential and polarising figures, whose imprint on the sport will be felt long after he leaves his post.
