Helmut Marko shared some revealing insights about the environment at Red Bull following his departure from the team after the 2025 season.
The long-time advisor, who first joined Red Bull when they took over from Jaguar in 2005, was part of a stretch that included eight drivers’ championships and six constructors’ titles. But his time with the team came to an end in 2025.
The Austrian is another notable departure during a period of tension within Red Bull’s leadership. His exit followed Christian Horner’s dismissal as team principal by three months.
Horner received a significantly larger payout than Marko. The former team principal’s contract extended to 2030, while Marko’s was set to expire in 2026.
Following his exit, the Austrian accused Horner of using underhanded tactics against him. He claimed the Briton tried to have him suspended in 2024, a move reportedly stopped only after Max Verstappen intervened with a threat to leave.
Oliver Mintzlaff pushes back on Helmut Marko’s comments on Christian Horner
Oliver Mintzlaff, Red Bull CEO, responded to Marko’s comments about Horner in an interview with De Telegraaf. He distanced himself from the remarks and stressed that he could not fault Horner for his time at Red Bull.
“Those words about Christian are Helmut’s responsibility,” he said. “I can’t say anything negative about Christian. Simply because he has meant a lot to Red Bull.
“But there always comes a time when things aren’t going well and then, as a company, you have to make a decision. Are you going to give someone more time, or is it time for a new leader? We felt it was time for a change.
“I disagree with Helmut’s statements. Yes, it’s logical that things change in an organisation. Perhaps Dr Marko has also changed over the years. I think it’s quite normal that not everything is the same as it was five years ago.
“Christian and Helmut have worked together wonderfully for years, since the start in 2005. So we’re talking about more than twenty years.
“Give me a few examples of other large sports organisations where the leadership team has remained the same for so long.
“So you can view it very negatively that they are both gone now. But I would say that it is unique that they have been here together for so long and achieved so much. Sometimes you just need a change to shake things up.”
Helmut Marko annoyed several Red Bull key figures during 2025
Juan Pablo Montoya has said that Marko’s comments about Horner are more about bitterness over their differing payouts than any lingering issues.
The 82-year-old received £8.7m when he left Red Bull, while Horner took home £80m, though that number could have been even higher had he not opted for a quicker exit.
While his achievements remain significant, there were signs of tension as he left.
Marko had told Isack Hadjar back in August that he would be moving up to Red Bull, though the team did not make it official until just before the final race in Abu Dhabi.
There was also some controversy over his decision to sign Alex Dunne without consulting others at Red Bull. The move was not well received, and Verstappen, who had doubts about Dunne, did not back the decision.
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