Marko’s Red Bull Future Faces a Turning Point
So, there’s been a lot of talk in the Formula 1 paddock about Helmut Marko, and whether he’s actually going to stay with Red Bull beyond this season. And honestly, the situation feels more uncertain than ever. Marko has been a pillar of the Red Bull operation since the team entered F1 back in 2005, shaping everything from the driver programme to the championship-winning eras with Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. But now, at 82, it seems the ground beneath him is shifting.
What’s happening is pretty simple on the surface: Marko is scheduled to sit down with Red Bull over the winter to discuss his role for 2026. But between the lines, there’s a sense that retirement—an idea he had always brushed off—might finally be on the table. People close to the team suggest that recent events have pushed the situation in this new direction. His involvement in the internal power struggle that removed Christian Horner earlier this year certainly didn’t fade quietly, and Red Bull as a whole is undergoing a major organisational reshuffle under new team boss Laurent Mekies.
Also Read:On top of that, there’s the fallout from Marko’s criticism of Kimi Antonelli after the Qatar Grand Prix, where the young driver ended up receiving over a thousand abusive messages. That episode is believed to have weighed heavily on Red Bull’s evaluation of how Marko fits into the future structure. So even though Marko insists nothing has been decided—saying that discussions are planned and that he has “a complex set of different things” to consider—the tone has changed. It sounds like he’s genuinely unsure for the first time.
Red Bull is also preparing for a huge shift in 2026, when it officially becomes an engine manufacturer for both of its teams. With such a transformation coming, the leadership model needs to be stable and sustainable, which may be another reason the organisation is reevaluating long-held roles.
Laurent Mekies has been careful with his wording. He hasn’t revealed what Red Bull wants to do with Marko’s position, but he has openly said that F1 is an environment where constant adjustments are normal. He praised Marko for his support during Red Bull’s mid-season struggles, yet his comments also made it clear that nothing inside the team is immune to change.
So, as things stand, Marko’s future remains genuinely open. Maybe he stays. Maybe he steps back entirely. Maybe he transitions to a less hands-on role. What’s certain is that after decades of shaping Red Bull’s identity and helping guide Verstappen’s career from the very beginning, any move he makes will mark the end of a significant chapter in the team’s history. The winter discussions will reveal whether this chapter closes now—or just turns a page.
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