Red Bull respond to explosive Helmut Marko claims

Oliver Mintzlaff, managing director of Red Bull GmbH, the parent company of the F1 team, has shared his thoughts on the damning comments made by recently departed motorsport adviser Helmut Marko.

The 82-year-old left the Milton Keynes-based squad at the end of the 2025 campaign after over two decades of service, having helped turn the team into a six-time constructors' champion through his position at the helm of its junior programme.

In total, Marko helped 17 drivers — 18, with the incoming Arvid Lindblad — to F1, including four-time F1 drivers' champions Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, since the energy drinks manufacturer purchased the Jaguar Formula 1 team ahead of the 2005 season.

However, upon deciding to walk away, the Austrian has not left quietly, openly criticising the team for his exit press release and launching a scathing takedown of former team principal Christian Horner, who was fired soon after the British Grand Prix in July.

Mintzlaff moved to distance himself and the company he manages from those remarks, telling De Telegraaf: "Those words about Christian are Helmut's own.

"I can't say anything negative about Christian. Simply because he 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."

Marko claimed a lot had changed at Red Bull, with the suggestion being that it was not for the better. However, Mintzlaff does not see eye-to-eye with his former adviser.

"I disagree with Helmut's statements," the long-distance runner turned businessman said. "Yes, it's logical that things change within an organisation. Perhaps Dr Marko has changed over the years as well.

"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 many years, since the start in 2005. So we're talking about more than twenty years.

"Give me a few examples of other major sports organisations where the leadership team remains the same for so long.

"So you could look at it very negatively that they're both gone now. But I would say it's unique that they've been here together for so long and have achieved so much. Sometimes you just need a change to shake things up."