Marko refutes claims that Red Bull compelled his departure as more information comes to light.

      Dr. Helmut Marko asserts that his exit from Red Bull was a voluntary decision, countering claims that he was forced out after a two-decade tenure with the firm. In an interview with RTL, the 82-year-old stated, "No, I was by no means pressured to leave." He elaborated that the moment he decided to step down was during the Abu Dhabi finale, saying, "That was the point where I told myself, this is the right time to stop."

      Marko mentioned he met with Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff in Dubai on Monday. "I conveyed my desire. After some discussion, he accepted it. He attempted to convince me otherwise, but recognized that I was firm in my decision," he explained. Marko confirmed that he would completely withdraw from regular work but might still attend "one or two" races as a "neutral spectator."

      To ORF, Marko elaborated: "I didn’t consult with anyone regarding this. I informed Mintzlaff of my desire before dinner. A partial arrangement had been on the table, but I insisted, 'If we're going to do this, we’re going all the way'." He shared that Red Bull's majority owner, Chalerm Yoovidhya, was involved in the discussions, which he described as "amicable."

      Marko informed Max Verstappen the following morning about his decision. "There was a certain amount of melancholy. It was the closest relationship I’ve ever had with a driver. We rarely had disagreements." When speaking to Krone, Marko reflected that either title result would have been an appropriate ending, stating, "If we had won the title, it would have been a good time to retire. The fact that it didn’t happen was just as valid a reason for me."

      Regarding the newly crowned champion Lando Norris, Marko concluded: "He didn’t make any mistakes; he had a second half of the season as impressive as ours. There’s nothing to criticize." According to Bild, Red Bull will compensate Marko with his full salary for 2026—approximately EUR 10 million—as part of a severance agreement. Bild columnist Michel Milewski cautioned that the departure of prominent figures such as Marko and Christian Horner could create a "character vacuum" in Formula 1, noting that only Toto Wolff remains a notable personality on the pit wall among a new wave of engineer-bosses.