Red Bull’s top advisor, Helmut Marko, hints at a possible retirement in 2026. The Austrian confirmed after the final race in Abu Dhabi that his future is far from certain. Marko has a contract until 2026, but is waiting for ‘internal discussions’ before committing to being active next year. Meanwhile, Red Bull team boss Laurent Mekies stated that certain management structures are subject to change.
In a conversation with De Telegraaf, the 82-year-old Marko cautiously suggested that retirement could be in sight. “Will you see me next year? Well, we will have internal discussions about that,” he said. “We are in no hurry. In the years of team founder Dietrich Mateschitz, I didn’t even have a contract. For me, it’s mainly important that I feel comfortable.” The top advisor and head of the talent program was instrumental in the formation of the Red Bull team in 2005 and was the one who brought Max Verstappen on board in 2014.
“Of course, I’m a bit disappointed that we missed the title by two points,” he continued. “But at the same time, it gives us a lot of confidence that we’ve come back from so far. It shows that we have the technical expertise in-house. It’s great that we won most of the races this season, but in ten years, everyone will only remember who became champion.” Speaking to the press in the paddock, Helmut Marko reiterated that discussions will take place within the Red Bull top management. “That’s certain, but I’m going to talk about it and then we’ll see what I do. It’s a complex conversation. I need to sleep on it.”
Red Bull’s Reevaluation?
Team boss Laurent Mekies acknowledged on Sunday evening that Red Bull is in a phase of reevaluation. “Helmut has been incredibly supportive and has helped us tremendously this year to get everything back on track. Of course, he and the top management had to make a number of difficult decisions this year,” Mekies said. According to him, it’s logical that the organization is being scrutinized in light of a new era. After all, Formula 1 is introducing a completely new technical regulation in 2026. “You have to constantly adapt your organization, both technically and in terms of sports,” said the Frenchman.
He emphasized that this is not specifically about Helmut Marko, but about Red Bull as a whole. “It’s perfectly normal that we continually evaluate how we can improve our methods. So I’m not saying this specifically about Helmut, but we are in an environment where we constantly challenge each other and look for the next steps. But I can only thank Helmut for the role he has played in turning the season in our favor in the second half,” he concluded.
