Major Red Bull prediction made after 'unexpected' Helmut Marko controversy

Guenther Steiner has voiced his surprise at the explosive way Helmut Marko left Red Bull, with the Austrian taking aim at the team and launching a scathing attack on former team boss Christian Horner after a seemingly straightforward and well-natured exit.

The 82-year-old decided to step away from the paddock and his role as motorsport adviser for the energy drinks manufacturer at the end of the 2025 F1 season.

After two decades at the Milton Keynes-based squad, where Marko's legacy will undoubtedly be his leadership of its driver development programme, the usual press release comments and heartfelt remarks were shared by the team and its key players.

However, soon after, in an interview with De Telegraaf, the Austrian labelled some of those words "nonsense" and was heavily critical of Horner, who was fired as team principal shortly after the British Grand Prix this year.

When it was put to Steiner that there, as a consequence, does not seem to be calm yet at the six-time F1 constructors' champions, he explained that it will be incremental.

"I think it's simply a process that takes a bit of time," the 60-year-old told Sport Krone. "There had been unrest at Red Bull for some time, probably even more than many had anticipated.

"And as for Dr. Marko, I believe he left due to his age. I didn't expect him to lash out like that again. But it's good entertainment, isn't it?"

When asked if he was surprised to see Marko walk away at the end of the campaign just gone, the former Haas team principal admitted he was.

"I wasn't expecting it to happen that way – I actually thought he'd announce his retirement after next season," he said.

"But yes, he's not getting any younger, and the constant travel in the Formula 1 circus takes its toll in the long run.

"But we'll certainly be hearing more from the Doctor in the future – no need to worry about that."

'Ingredients for success'

Laurent Mekies took over from Horner and quickly set about putting his mark on the team. New ways of working under the Frenchman and an effective floor upgrade delivered at Monza transformed Red Bull and Max Verstappen's fortunes.

The four-time F1 drivers' champion was able to drag himself back into the hunt for a fifth successive crown, painfully falling just short of Lando Norris at the end of the campaign.

Steiner thinks Mekies will bring stability and "calm" to the team, after a turbulent period in the 18 months before his appointment.

The Italian pointed out that all the "ingredients for success are there" when asked why he was surprised at Marko's unprompted verbal assault.

"Because it concerned things that happened quite a while ago, and he doesn't really have to justify himself for them," Steiner said.

"At Red Bull, certain decisions were made, and that's that. But I think things will calm down again with team principal Laurent Mekies.

"They have the best driver and a good team – the ingredients for success are there. Time will tell what they make of it."