Breaking: Red Bull confirm Helmut Marko exit

Red Bull has announced the departure of Helmut Marko following the conclusion of the 2025 F1 season.

The 82-year-old cast doubt over his future with the Milton Keynes-based squad following the year-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and there has been speculation over potential disharmony between the Austrian and the rest of the team's management.

It has been rumoured that Marko unilaterally signed Arvid Lindblad to Racing Bulls and Alex Dunne to the junior programme without agreement or permission, with the latter contract reported to have cost a significant fee to terminate.

He also contributed to the social media pile-on of Kimi Antonelli following the Qatar Grand Prix, when he suggested post-race in the Lusail International Circuit paddock that the Mercedes driver had intentionally let Lando Norris through on the penultimate lap.

The young Italian received considerable online abuse, including death threats, and Red Bull subsequently issued a statement, with Marko himself also apologising for the fallout from his actions.

Max Verstappen is a key ally of Marko, and was instrumental in protecting him at the start of the 2024 campaign when Red Bull was besieged by internal politics and infighting after the allegations made against then-team principal Christian Horner.

Marko, who is a former F1 driver and 24 Hours of Le Mans winner, has been the main architect of Red Bull's academy since becoming affiliated with the energy drinks manufacturer in 1999.

Prior to that, he had been the manager of F1 drivers Gerhard Berger and Karl Wendlinger.

He formally joined forces with Red Bull in 2005, when it purchased the Jaguar Formula 1 team from Ford.

In his role, he helped oversee the development of F1 race winners such as Daniel Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly, and two champions in Sebastian Vettel and Verstappen.

In recent years, his job had expanded to that of a general adviser to the Red Bull team, but as it continues to go through a period of transition, with changes to its leadership structure, Marko has become the latest name to decide to move on.