Helmut Marko has disclosed how Max Verstappen reacted to news of the Austrian’s departure from Red Bull and the four-time Formula 1 champion’s demands for the future

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Max Verstappen is losing one of his closest F1 allies with Helmut Marko’s departure(Image: Formula 1 via Getty Images)

Helmut Marko has revealed that Max Verstappen was saddened by news of the veteran Austrian’s departure from Red Bull. And he has also claimed that the four-time Formula 1 World champion will follow him out of the exit door if the team fails to maintain a “harmonious environment” in which he can be successful.

The 82-year-old will step down at the end of the year after two decades as an adviser to the team, where he also served as the de facto head of their junior driver programme. It was Marko who brought Verstappen into the Red Bull fold as a talented youngster, fending off competition for his signature from Mercedes.

The pair forged an exceptionally strong relationship. During last year’s internal turmoil at Red Bull, Verstappen publicly defended Marko by suggesting he would consider leaving the team if his mentor was forced out, describing him as a ‘second father’.

In an interview with Austrian publication Kleine Zeitung, Marko disclosed Verstappen’s reaction to his departure: “I would say he was a little sad about it. We were reminiscing about the incredible time we’d had together.

“Certainly his first victory in Barcelona at 17, then his first win with Honda at the Red Bull Ring, his first world championship title in 2021, or the rain-soaked race in Brazil. There are so many moments and positive achievements from Max. It’s incredible how he has become more and more mature and precise.”

Marko was quick to dismiss any suggestion that Verstappen might now act on his previous warning to leave Red Bull, confirming the Dutchman has accepted his decision. When asked whether fans should be concerned about the four-time world champion’s future with the team, Marko responded simply: “No.”

However, Marko made it abundantly clear that Verstappen has one crucial requirement that Red Bull must fulfil, or risk losing their star driver without warning. Marko explained: “Max doesn’t just want to be successful; he wants to be successful in a harmonious environment. If he no longer has that, he’ll quit from one day to the next. But he’s far too young for that now.”

Tuesday’s official statement from Red Bull GmbH portrayed Marko’s departure as his own choice. The announcement even featured a quote from Red Bull’s head of sporting projects Oliver Mintzlaff, who said: “Helmut approached me with the wish to end his role as motorsport advisor at the end of the year. I deeply regret his decision.”

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Helmut Marko is departing Red Bull after 20 years(Image: PA)

Sources suggest, though, that simmering tensions between Marko and Red Bull’s Salzburg hierarchy had been escalating for quite some time. Senior figures were recently furious about Marko’s public remarks criticising Kimi Antonelli, which sparked a wave of online abuse directed at the teenager and created a PR nightmare for both Marko and the outfit.

Reports have also emerged claiming Marko further irritated senior management by signing Alex Dunne to their junior programme without proper authorisation, before being compelled to cancel the contract – resulting in a substantial compensation payment to the Irish Formula 2 driver.

Marko, however, categorically denies those claims despite numerous outlets reporting the story. He responded: “These are all just silly rumours anyway, mainly spread by the British press.”