Marko departs from Red Bull as the power struggle concludes.

Marko departs from Red Bull as the power struggle concludes.

      The situation had become unsustainable.

      What started as rumors in the paddock on Sunday night has now become a nearly unanimous conclusion on Monday: Helmut Marko is indeed departing from Red Bull. De Limburger reported straightforwardly, stating, "Helmut Marko’s departure from Red Bull Racing is a fact," and noted that the 82-year-old "had become increasingly difficult" within an organization transformed since the passing of Dietrich Mateschitz. Auto Motor und Sport concurs that Marko's exit is confirmed, despite him having a contract through 2026.

      The central figure in this development is Red Bull GmbH CEO Oliver Mintzlaff, who Bild claims has removed both of the team's longstanding power players. "The former chairman of RB Leipzig, now the company's sporting director, had already let go of Christian Horner in July after two decades in charge. Marko is now the second of the two influential figures to follow him," reported the German newspaper.

      De Telegraaf mentions that Mintzlaff was infuriated by Marko’s public allegation in Qatar that Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli had intentionally allowed Lando Norris to pass. Although Marko later retracted his statement, the damage had already been inflicted, and this was not the only incident troubling Mintzlaff. The Dutch newspaper claims Mintzlaff was already annoyed that Marko had viewed Horner’s dismissal as a personal triumph in his own internal struggle for power. Marko is also said to have approved driver signings without consent—like Arvid Lindblad "arbitrarily" and the Irish youngster Alex Dunne in secret—sending Dunne’s contract by mail, circumventing standard procedures. When the company instructed Marko to cancel the deal, Red Bull had to pay out "hundreds of thousands" in compensation.

      This chain of events, alongside the Antonelli incident, reportedly convinced Mintzlaff that the situation was unsustainable. The two met in Abu Dhabi on Monday and agreed that Marko would depart. Despite the significance of this leadership change, De Telegraaf emphasizes that Marko's exit will not impact Max Verstappen's future. "His departure will not influence the future of star driver Max Verstappen," the paper stated. "For him, the competitiveness of the Red Bull car next season—under the radically new regulations—will be the key factor in deciding whether he will stay beyond 2026." Red Bull has yet to respond to these developments.

Marko departs from Red Bull as the power struggle concludes.

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Marko departs from Red Bull as the power struggle concludes.

Formula 1 | What started as rumors in the paddock on Sunday evening has now turned into a nearly unanimous conclusion on Monday – Helmut Marko is definitely departing from Red (…)