Former racing driver Juan Pablo Montoya speculates that Helmut Marko has left Red Bull because he no longer held power within the team. According to the Colombian, the Austrian top advisor, who was instrumental in Red Bull’s motorsport activities, was increasingly sidelined. Rumours of tensions with the new team management are believed to have led to his definitive departure this year.
Montoya suggests that Helmut Marko, following the dismissal of Christian Horner and the departures of Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley, saw that Red Bull was entering a new era. As power shifted to the new management, Marko is believed to have resigned on his own terms. In an official statement, he cited the fact that Max Verstappen narrowly missed out on his fifth title as the main reason for his departure. However, Montoya believes there is much more to it.
‘I’m not going to be anyone’s employee’
“I think Helmut (Marko) realized he no longer had power,” Montoya told Grosvenor Casinos. The Austrian has been one of the most prominent figures within Red Bull for decades. He had the final say in the recruitment of new drivers and the development of young talents. Montoya believes that this autonomy has disappeared under the new corporate regime: “He had full control over the drivers and all decisions in the line-up. I think he now realized that he first has to ask for permission. He reached a point where he said to himself: ‘I’m not going to be anyone’s employee anymore.'”It’s very difficult when you’ve had autonomy and then lose it all,” noted the seven-time race winner. “Suddenly, everyone starts questioning everything.” Rumors about tensions in contracting new drivers fuel this thought. “There are stories that he contracted a Formula 2 driver, the Irish Alex Dunne, but then had to withdraw from the contract. Dunne left McLaren, signed with Red Bull, and a week later Marko called him to say: ‘Sorry, you’re out,'” Montoya explained. “The other rumor is that he contracted Arvid Lindblad without permission. That doesn’t surprise me at all. It was now or never,” Montoya agreed with Marko.
