Helmut Marko

Helmut Marko responds to exit rumours as he admits Verstappen 'crushes' Red Bull teammates

18:51, 25 Jun

Updated: 19:36, 25 Jun

byCas van de Kleut

Helmeut Marko has responded to Red Bull exit rumours once again on the eve of his home Grand Prix in Austria.

With questions arising about Marko’s future due to his age, many wonder whether he will continue to appear at the circuit beyond this season. In a conversation with Kleine Zeitung, he addressed these rumours.

Speculation about Helmut Marko’s departure from Red Bull Racing continues to grow. Last year, Verstappen publicly intervened to prevent a forced exit, voicing strong support for the Austrian. Nevertheless, Marko’s future remains uncertain, and he has even mentioned Sebastian Vettel as a potential successor.

Does Marko leave Red Bull?

Marko was also asked if this could be his last Austrian Grand Prix. He took the attention off of himself with this response: "My contract runs until the end of 2026. At this moment, the focus is mainly on getting the team on the right track to win."

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The 82-year-old continued, praising Verstappen whilst criticising those who have faced him in the second seat: "Much depends on the technology, even though we had a setback with our pit stops. But that was understandable; the last few stops went well and our strategy was good again. Everything must be 100 percent to stand a chance against McLaren.

Marko: Verstappen has 'crushed' teammates for years

"But that's not easy, because we practically only have one driver. And it doesn't matter who you choose: since 2016, since Max has been in the car, every second driver has sooner or later dropped out, failed, or been crushed by Max."

While Marko did not directly address the possibility of his departure, he did speak about Sebastian Vettel as a potential successor: "We haven't discussed the position, but he's following everything closely. The question of whether he will succeed me is also one of the issues. Let's put it this way: many people want to take it over.

"Until the summer break, however, we are focusing on catching up. The requirement profile is relatively large and broad; that's clear.

"And the two shareholders, Mark Mateschitz and Chalerm Yoovidhya, are involved and have their ideas. Sometimes one doesn't want what the other does. That's not easy either."