Helmut Marko highlights major contradiction over Red Bull exit

Helmut Marko has categorically dismissed suggestions that he was pressured to step down from his advisory role with Red Bull by CEO Oliver Mintzlaff.

On Tuesday, it was announced that after 20 years with the team, and after witnessing Max Verstappen narrowly miss out on a fifth consecutive F1 drivers' title in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, Marko would be leaving with immediate effect.

Amongst the suggestions as to why the suddenness of the decision, it was claimed that Mintzlaff had applied pressure on Marko in order to carry out his restructuring of the F1 team.

Speaking to RTL/ntv and sport.de, Marko has insisted that it was "absolutely not" the case.

"I had a meeting with Oliver Mintzlaff in Dubai on Monday," said Marko, who has stated he "parted on good terms".

"I expressed my wish there, and after some discussion, he accepted it, since I still had a contract until 2026."

Marko has confirmed he made up his mind in the emotional moments that followed Verstappen's near-miss, with the Dutch driver falling two points shy of pipping McLaren's Lando Norris to the title.

"I had strongly hoped and believed that we would achieve this fifth world championship title," said Marko, who has revealed that he and Verstappen's race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, "consoled each other" after the race at the Yas Marina Circuit.

"That was kind of the point where I said, 'This is the right time to stop'," he said.

Marko has revealed it was not until the following day that he informed Verstappen of his decision, and whilst there was "a certain sadness on both sides", there was also an understanding from the Dutchman.

"He reacted calmly, reviewed everything," said Marko. "He mentioned what we had achieved, that he, like me, would never have imagined it. But he accepted that this was a personal decision of mine."

As to the possibility of a successor, Marko does not believe there will be a direct replacement, and instead, his duties "will be divided among several people".

Although four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel has been mentioned, Marko said: "Red Bull will decide all of that, and as far as I know, there are many names, but no decisions yet."