Helmut Marko is poised to receive a substantial eight-figure payout following his exit from the Red Bull F1 Team. According to Germany’s Bild newspaper, the 82-year-old Austrian will be compensated with his entire 2026 salary upon his departure at the end of the year. Bild reports that Marko will receive around 10 million euros (about 870 million yen) as he steps down from his role as motorsport advisor.
Red Bull officially announced Marko’s departure after more than two decades with the team, following the season finale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Although there was much speculation about the reasons behind Marko’s sudden exit, he maintained that stepping down a year earlier than expected was his own decision.
Reflecting on his career, Marko said, “I have been involved in motorsport for 60 years, but the past 20-plus years at Red Bull have been an extraordinary and very successful journey. It’s been amazing working alongside so many talented people. I’m very proud of everything we have built and accomplished together.” He added that narrowly missing out on the World Championships this season profoundly impacted him and made him realize that now was the right time to close this intense and successful chapter. Marko extended his best wishes to the team’s future success and expressed confidence that they will continue to compete fiercely for both World Championship titles next year.
During his tenure at Red Bull, Marko managed the team’s driver development program, nurturing talents such as Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen, and Daniel Ricciardo.
In a striking revelation, Marko recently accused former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner of fostering a toxic environment. He told De Limburger, “The last few years with Horner were not fun – there was a dirty game going on. Remember when I supposedly claimed that Sergio Perez and Mexicans had less concentration than Dutch or Germans? That was fabricated—likely by Horner’s camp.” He also denied spreading rumors about engine development delays in 2024 to jeopardize Ford’s partnership, which Horner allegedly used to try and suspend him. Marko credited Max Verstappen’s support in Jeddah for preventing this. As evidence against Horner mounted, even Chalerm changed his viewpoint.
Fan Take: This news is significant for racing fans because Helmut Marko’s influence on the sport, especially in driver development, has been immense. His departure and the allegations against Horner could signal big shifts in the internal dynamics of Red Bull Racing and potentially impact the future landscape of Formula 1.
