Helmut Marko, the man who discovered Max Verstappen, is officially leaving Red Bull Racing after 25 years

As the Max Verstappen era is finally broken in Formula 1, the man who brought him and many other F1 icons into Red Bull, Helmut Marko, is officially leaving the organization after 25 years.

Red Bull narrowly missed out on the 2025 Formula 1 Championship as Lando Norris kept composure all the way to the final chequered flag.

But the comeback attempt (and the four years of back-to-back titles) would never have been possible if it weren’t for the driver…and the man who brought him to the team.

At 82 years young, and after 25 years at Red Bull Racing, Helmut Marko has now decided that his time on the team has come to an end.

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Helmut Marko leaves Red Bull amid F1 Championship shortcomings and a paddock shakeup

It’s been a busy year for the Red Bull HR department, with many comings and goings at the highest order.

Liam Lawson changed seats with Yuki Tsunoda, there was a deal to bring Isack Hadjar through the door for next season, constant rumors linked Max Verstappen to Mercedes, and Team Principal Christian Horner was removed from his post.

But as preparations for the 2026 season have begun with Laurent Mekies at the helm, the team will have to cope without one of its long-standing legends.

In a statement released by Red Bull, Helmut Marko confirmed his departure from his advisory role, citing the narrow championship defeat as the right time for a change.

“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,” Marko said.

“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.”

His legacy lives on through half of the current F1 paddock

In his tenure at Red Bull, he’s developed some of the best racers on the planet, half of whom are littered throughout the F1 paddock at various new teams.

Four-time Championship winners Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen were both promoted into the Formula 1 circuit by the development programme that he pioneered, alongside some staple figures of racing history, including Daniel Ricciardo.

At the end of the 2025 season, seven drivers continue to drive in his legacy’s shadow, with Verstappen, Tsunoda, Hadjar, Lawson, Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly, and Carlos Sainz, all earning their spot through the Red Bull scheme.

A total of 20 drivers made it through the program, delivering a combined 132 race wins, six Constructors’ Championships, eight Drivers’ Championships, and a further 23 podiums.

“I wish the entire team continued success and am convinced that they will be fighting for both world championship titles again next year,“ he said.

A new era has dawned at Red Bull.

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