Just days after the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Red Bull announced that their motorsport advisor Helmut Marko will leave the company at the end of this year.
The Milton Keynes-based F1 outfit has announced that Helmut Marko has decided to step down at the end of 2025. The former racing driver will therefore end his involvement at Red Bull as the company’s motorsport advisor. The 82-year-old was one of the key architects of Red Bull’s era in Formula 1 and also head of the Red Bull Junior Program.
The Austrian, who was himself a former racing driver, competed in Formula One at 10 Grands Prix from 1971 to 1972. In endurance racing, Marko won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1971 with Martini.
He founded RSM Marko in 1989, which later became the Red Bull Junior Team. From 2005 to 2025, he served as an adviser to Red Bull Racing and its related teams in Formula One, winning six World Constructors’ Championship titles between 2010 and 2023.
Explaining the reasons for Marko’s early exit despite his existing contract that would have run until the end of the 2026 season, Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff reckoned that the decision was initiated by the Austrian himself.
“Helmut approached me with the wish to end his role as motorsport advisor at the end of the year. I deeply regret his decision, as he has been an influential figure for more than two decades, and his departure marks the end of an extraordinary era.
“Over more than 20 years, Helmut has earned incomparable merits for our team and the entire Red Bull motorsport family. He played a decisive role in all key strategic decisions that made Red Bull Racing what it is today: a multiple world champion, an engine of innovation, and a cornerstone of international motorsport.
“His instinct for exceptional talent not only shaped our junior program but also left a lasting impact on Formula 1 as a whole. Names like Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen stand for the many drivers who were discovered, supported, and guided to the very top under his leadership. His passion, his courage to make clear decisions, and his ability to spot potential will remain unforgettable.
Speaking of the timing of the decision, Mintzlaff stressed that it had been Marko’s decision to step down after the current season.
“After a long and intensive conversation, I knew I had to respect his wishes, as I gained the impression that the timing felt right for him to take this step. Even though his departure will leave a significant gap, our respect for his decision and our gratitude for everything he has done for Red Bull Racing outweigh it.
“Helmut Marko will be deeply missed, both personally and professionally. We wish him all the very best for the future and hope that he will remain closely and warmly connected to the team.”
20 Years, 417 Races, 6 Constructors’ Championships, 8 Drivers’ Championships.
Thank you, Helmut 💙 pic.twitter.com/svFn8TTJc7
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) December 9, 2025
Speaking of his decision, Marko added: “I have been involved in motorsport for six decades now, and the past 20-plus years at Red Bull have been an extraordinary and extremely successful journey.
“It has been a wonderful time that I have been able to help shape and share with so many talented people. Everything we have built and achieved together fills me with pride.
“Narrowly missing out on the world championship this season has moved me deeply and made it clear to me that now is the right moment for me personally to end this very long, intense, and successful chapter. I wish the entire team continued success and am convinced that they will be fighting for both world championship titles again next year,” the Austrian concluded.